The last few months in EDU7666 has certainly expanded my knowledge of technology, its use in the classroom and the cutting edge of online educational resources. Having come in with a decent comprehension of technology, I was surprised at how much more I had to learn throughout this class. In the end, I feel like my arsenal of technology-based resources has grown significantly and will add to my instruction for future groups of students.
I came in to this class using resources like power point, streaming video, computer images and podcasts. While effective, these are all somewhat limited in their interaction. Students watch, listen, reflect and write about what they see and hear.
After this class, I know the new direction I want to pursue. I would like to push the technology away from the front of the classroom and into the hands of each of my students. I would like to use more webquests. I'd like to open up the world of blogging, wikis and web-based curricula. Student podcasting would work excellently for an end of unit assessment and project. Students crave technology and I would like to provide them with every opportunity to learn through the medium they enjoy and want to interact with.
For me, this class has opened up the next levels of technology integration in the classroom. The research has proven its success. The projects we have completed prove how realistic it is. My experience has proven how excited the students are when new technology is present. I look forward to getting started.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Do you digg it?
Welcome to 2009, where socializing consists in large part over the internet through sites like myspace and facebook. Who would've thought you could become "best friends" with someone without ever meeting them in person? In recent years, technology has moved us from phone calls to email, from email to instant messaging and from cut-outs on the bedroom wall to designing our electronic myspace wall. Businesses around the world utilize virtual meetings to hear and see their peers and partners over continents and oceans. This technology has quickly moved into the home where video messaging makes text messaging seem limiting.
Social bookmarking is a new force pushing us further into the world of electronic communication, discussion and socializing. It is a method of marking, organizing, searching and storing websites for others to see and read. Del.icio.us started the craze, also known as tagging, in 2003. Dozens of other popular sites have since developed including digg, reddit, diigo and simpy. Need new furniture? Want to learn about the naming system for IKEA furniture? Head to one of these sites to investigate every article and viewpoint about how the names are developed and marketed.
Social bookmarking provides an incomparable forum for debate, information and the advertisement of viewpoints. Connections are being made around the world with little or no hesitation due to distance or cultural differences. In fact, when used correctly, social bookmarking gives us the opportunity to discuss and celebrate these differences more easily than ever before.
Social bookmarking is a new force pushing us further into the world of electronic communication, discussion and socializing. It is a method of marking, organizing, searching and storing websites for others to see and read. Del.icio.us started the craze, also known as tagging, in 2003. Dozens of other popular sites have since developed including digg, reddit, diigo and simpy. Need new furniture? Want to learn about the naming system for IKEA furniture? Head to one of these sites to investigate every article and viewpoint about how the names are developed and marketed.
Social bookmarking provides an incomparable forum for debate, information and the advertisement of viewpoints. Connections are being made around the world with little or no hesitation due to distance or cultural differences. In fact, when used correctly, social bookmarking gives us the opportunity to discuss and celebrate these differences more easily than ever before.
Smartboard on the way..
Being a technology and education course, I can think of no better topic to discuss this week than my soon-to-be arriving classroom smartboard. After quietly hinting to my Administration how much I would appreciate a smartboard, I got the news a few weeks ago that one had been ordered and would arrive in early May.
For my students, this means the early retirement of my LCD projector which has been a daily staple of math class throughout the year. I credit the projector with improving my instruction as well as my students' engagement. I have consistently used powerpoint presentations for lessons, photos and graphics for motivation and video for teaching aides. That said, the smartboard will offer an update in every sense and hopeful push my instruction to the next level of effectiveness.
In addition to improving the presentation of the resources I currently use, I look forward to the flexibility and multi-faceted effectiveness of a smartboard. For example, I plan to keep daily classwork scores on the board's screen so my students have the ability to understand how I am assessing them and if they need to improve their work.
I hope, although it remains to be seen, the students of KGIA will share in my enthusiasm for the multimedia math connections that can be utilized with a smartboard. I look forward to investigating new ways to use the technology to draw my students closer to the content. Most of all, I would like to use the next six weeks to master the operation and features of the board ahead of a full year of use in 2009-2010.
For my students, this means the early retirement of my LCD projector which has been a daily staple of math class throughout the year. I credit the projector with improving my instruction as well as my students' engagement. I have consistently used powerpoint presentations for lessons, photos and graphics for motivation and video for teaching aides. That said, the smartboard will offer an update in every sense and hopeful push my instruction to the next level of effectiveness.
In addition to improving the presentation of the resources I currently use, I look forward to the flexibility and multi-faceted effectiveness of a smartboard. For example, I plan to keep daily classwork scores on the board's screen so my students have the ability to understand how I am assessing them and if they need to improve their work.
I hope, although it remains to be seen, the students of KGIA will share in my enthusiasm for the multimedia math connections that can be utilized with a smartboard. I look forward to investigating new ways to use the technology to draw my students closer to the content. Most of all, I would like to use the next six weeks to master the operation and features of the board ahead of a full year of use in 2009-2010.
Bring in the noise: Multimedia options for website developers
Great websites require more than just typed information with thought and quality. Great website create an experience for the guest that is appealing visually through color, design, music or video, photos and images and other multimedia. Information is processed on a number of different medias and a great website will reflect that fact.
Images are the first important feature for webpages. This category covers anything from a photo to clipart. Great images can enhance the content of a website by providing the reader with a visual reference for what they are taking in. For instance, sports websites place pictures of the people, parks and teams they are covering. Readers can make a better connection when they are able to see jpegs or gifs of the article or site's subject matter.
Beyond images, a website may include a number of other types of multimedia types. Real player, windows media player and quicktime provide streaming video options. Audio can be added via mp3 or wav files. Document attachments can be made with most microsoft files or adobe pdf files.
Multimedia files are essential to creating a website that will attract a wide range of first time and return readers. They can create a fulfilling visit for guests and provide a more effective vehicle from which the website's mission may be successfully displayed.
Images are the first important feature for webpages. This category covers anything from a photo to clipart. Great images can enhance the content of a website by providing the reader with a visual reference for what they are taking in. For instance, sports websites place pictures of the people, parks and teams they are covering. Readers can make a better connection when they are able to see jpegs or gifs of the article or site's subject matter.
Beyond images, a website may include a number of other types of multimedia types. Real player, windows media player and quicktime provide streaming video options. Audio can be added via mp3 or wav files. Document attachments can be made with most microsoft files or adobe pdf files.
Multimedia files are essential to creating a website that will attract a wide range of first time and return readers. They can create a fulfilling visit for guests and provide a more effective vehicle from which the website's mission may be successfully displayed.
Hoping on the Wiki Wiki bus...
What are wikis? For a great video explanation via youtube, click here.
A wiki is a webpage that you or any one else with access can log on and contribute, edit or update information. On a busy wiki page, the content is continuously changing make it an environment where a community comes together to discuss and broadcast their views. Ward Cunningham, who created the first wiki software in 1995, named them after the quick wiki wiki shuttle buses at Honolulu Airport in Hawaii.
Wikis can be used to generate and organize online collaboration between students who are working on the same learning task, eliminating the need for face-to-face meetings. Students can change, edit, revise and correct their work at different times. Their prior work will always be saved and their new work timestamped and cited to a user name of their choice.
With wikis in use, a teacher can better assess an individual student's contribution to a group assignment. You are able to assess the finish product as a whole in conjunction with the amount of input each student made. This will help a teacher inform future instruction and plan intervention for those lacking understanding. Differentiation is made easy with wikis as it can be completed privately and without difficulty on the web. In addition, collaboration is encouraged between large and small learning communities in the classroom. Students will have pride in their work. presented on the web and as a collection of the ideas of the group.
Sure, you can google like a pro, but can you troubleshoot the blue screen of death?
Great, you've created a curriculum web for your classroom. Now what? Well, there are a number of factors that will determine the effectiveness of a curriculum web in the classroom. Sadly, some schools and classrooms will have a difficult time supporting a web-based lesson or curriculum at all. Let's explore some of the factors teachers face:
Does your classroom have the technology infrastructure to support a curriculum web? If your classroom does not have computers or access to a lab or computer cart, a curriculum web may be a lost cause. Many urban students lack productive computers at home and requiring library visits is a difficult hurdle. Moreover, the number of working laptops with the correct software must hit the threshold of how many groups or students you have. Use in shifts may be a tricky proposition.
Does the teacher have a knowledge of laptops that is deep enough to support mini-lessons, student questions and troubleshooting? Technology requires support and someone must be available to provide that supp
ort. Teachers lacking necessary knowledge put themselves in a very difficult place. Disaster may ensue. Most schools do not have the resources to have an on-call IT professional who is always available.
Do your students have the computer knowledge necessary to undertake a computer-based curriculum? If not, their teacher will need to provide extensive background and training for the students. Many school curricula do not have time put aside for these activities so difficult decisions will need to be made. Furthermore, student populations may be split in terms of computer experience requiring teachers to offer extensively differentiated lessons.
Does your classroom have the technology infrastructure to support a curriculum web? If your classroom does not have computers or access to a lab or computer cart, a curriculum web may be a lost cause. Many urban students lack productive computers at home and requiring library visits is a difficult hurdle. Moreover, the number of working laptops with the correct software must hit the threshold of how many groups or students you have. Use in shifts may be a tricky proposition.
Does the teacher have a knowledge of laptops that is deep enough to support mini-lessons, student questions and troubleshooting? Technology requires support and someone must be available to provide that supp
ort. Teachers lacking necessary knowledge put themselves in a very difficult place. Disaster may ensue. Most schools do not have the resources to have an on-call IT professional who is always available.Do your students have the computer knowledge necessary to undertake a computer-based curriculum? If not, their teacher will need to provide extensive background and training for the students. Many school curricula do not have time put aside for these activities so difficult decisions will need to be made. Furthermore, student populations may be split in terms of computer experience requiring teachers to offer extensively differentiated lessons.
"Live from New York, It's Mr. L's classroom!"
Podcasting is a media type that is not innovative due to its content but rather the way it is transported. Podcasting allows you to download audio or visual content via the internet to your computer or mobile device. It is commonly confused with streaming media where the file is brought to you live through the internet but has no permanent location on your computer. Podcasting can add to the classroom learning experience in two distinct ways, as explained below.
First, podcasting can be used to transmit an audio or visual presentation to your students. In my Current Events elective, the students often view Current Events podcasts created by CNN or other sources and later reflect on what they watched. Planet in Peril and CNN Student News have been particularly impactful for my students.
On the flip side, teachers may assign a project where groups in the class can create their own audio (or visual perhaps) podcast. This can be an effective assessment tool by which teachers can ascertain students' understanding of a topic. Asking students to explain a concept and give verbal examples represents a higher level of thought and provides the teacher with information about possible student misconceptions. As with many of the instances of technology we have discussed, a teacher may expect higher student engagement and excitement during this type of activity. Furthermore, students who in the past have withdrawn from some math activities may have increased excitement and/or confidence due to the "performance" aspect of the activity.
First, podcasting can be used to transmit an audio or visual presentation to your students. In my Current Events elective, the students often view Current Events podcasts created by CNN or other sources and later reflect on what they watched. Planet in Peril and CNN Student News have been particularly impactful for my students.
On the flip side, teachers may assign a project where groups in the class can create their own audio (or visual perhaps) podcast. This can be an effective assessment tool by which teachers can ascertain students' understanding of a topic. Asking students to explain a concept and give verbal examples represents a higher level of thought and provides the teacher with information about possible student misconceptions. As with many of the instances of technology we have discussed, a teacher may expect higher student engagement and excitement during this type of activity. Furthermore, students who in the past have withdrawn from some math activities may have increased excitement and/or confidence due to the "performance" aspect of the activity.
Effective Websiting: A few tips for Future Web (or bodega) Entrepreneurs
Three solid tips for creating an effective website...
1. Make it user-friendly. Does it load quickly? Is it easy to navigate? Are the text and colors easy to read and understand? Make it fresh, appealing and friendly. Just like your neighborhood convenience stores, there are plenty of easy-to-find options for our blossoming web-crazed populace. Put your best foot forward and the customers will keep coming back.
2. Update, update, update! Just like you don't want to see the same head of lettuce out on Saturday that you did on Monday, your web viewers want new content as much as possible. If they have read it once, why come back? Give them something new to read, see or hear and they are likely to come back...and bring friends.
3. Give your "customer" a vehicle to interact. Customers want to know that you care about what they want. (Got it?) Give them a way to email you, fill out a form, or drop a suggestion. Better yet, develop a way for your visitors to interact with each other. Message boards, commenting and web-based discussions give your readers a voice. An effective website brings in a number of perspectives and viewpoints---and your returning guests may be coming back for the group interaction as much as yours. Craving sour skittles? Tell the guy behind the counter to put in an order....
1. Make it user-friendly. Does it load quickly? Is it easy to navigate? Are the text and colors easy to read and understand? Make it fresh, appealing and friendly. Just like your neighborhood convenience stores, there are plenty of easy-to-find options for our blossoming web-crazed populace. Put your best foot forward and the customers will keep coming back.
2. Update, update, update! Just like you don't want to see the same head of lettuce out on Saturday that you did on Monday, your web viewers want new content as much as possible. If they have read it once, why come back? Give them something new to read, see or hear and they are likely to come back...and bring friends.
3. Give your "customer" a vehicle to interact. Customers want to know that you care about what they want. (Got it?) Give them a way to email you, fill out a form, or drop a suggestion. Better yet, develop a way for your visitors to interact with each other. Message boards, commenting and web-based discussions give your readers a voice. An effective website brings in a number of perspectives and viewpoints---and your returning guests may be coming back for the group interaction as much as yours. Craving sour skittles? Tell the guy behind the counter to put in an order....
"My teacher knows how to make a website! WOAH...." The surprising value of webquests in the classroom
The value of a webquest in the classroom is found in the way it impacts learning for students. Within the context of a webquest, students take on many different roles and practice a number of high-value skills. First, their roles- Students must have the ability to juggle research collection, analysis, synthesis, and presentation throughout the course of an effective and properly planned webquest. Each of these parts has unique and lasting importance in education. Many webquests are created with groups in mind, and here students are able to take on certain roles or specific areas of concentration. In many webquests, students are actually asked to take on professional roles that they can acquire knowledge of. Teachers and students may decide these roles based on the strengths and weaknesses of each individual. (Example found here.) Other webquests may require students to act as historical figures, political leaders or celebrities.
The skills each student can or will acquire are closely linked to the roles they will play. Any way you slice it they will be gathering a diverse set of experiences and working through diverse parts of an activity. Along the way, they will be exposed to the impact of education-based technology in the form of research, web browsing and creating results use web-based or software-based programming.
Looking for more value? For student engagement, webquests deliver value better than any fast food joint's esteemed dollar menu. (ok, one exception: McDonald's chocolate chip cookies--hidden gems) You'll find that even students who resist the most hands-on, fun project are willing to take a peek at what a webquest might have in store. Somehow googling attracts our students a tad more than the school library's dusty editions of Britannica.
The skills each student can or will acquire are closely linked to the roles they will play. Any way you slice it they will be gathering a diverse set of experiences and working through diverse parts of an activity. Along the way, they will be exposed to the impact of education-based technology in the form of research, web browsing and creating results use web-based or software-based programming.
Looking for more value? For student engagement, webquests deliver value better than any fast food joint's esteemed dollar menu. (ok, one exception: McDonald's chocolate chip cookies--hidden gems) You'll find that even students who resist the most hands-on, fun project are willing to take a peek at what a webquest might have in store. Somehow googling attracts our students a tad more than the school library's dusty editions of Britannica.
Testing what you teach: The link between Instruction & Assessment
Every great teacher plans their instruction and assessment simultaneously...whether they know it or not. On a very basic level, instruction and assessment are linked because, as a teacher, its your duty to assess your students' understanding of what you have attempted (sometimes with questionable success) to imprint in their young minds. No lesson or unit can be deemed successful without the knowledge that the students have grown in their understanding and comprehension of a topic, idea or area of thought.
Reverse planning might exhibit this idea most clearly. A popular method of unit planning, it helps teachers look at what they want their students to learn in the end before breaking down the day-by-day or minute-by-minute run through. If I am craving a great steak, its a lot easier to plan a transportation route if I choose the restaurant beforehand. Hopping in a car, shifting to drive and speeding off without a destination in mind might get you a steak eventually but you can be guaranteed it will take a lot longer, the steak might not be as good and the other passengers in the car (say your students) will probably get cranky along the way.
Instruction must be planned with the end goal of a successful assessment in mind. Likewise, the assessment must be based on what the students learned in class, the standards at work and perhaps a greater goal in the works. Always keep it relevant.
My students will be assessed on the end product they hand it, as well as their thoughtfulness, understanding and contributions along the way. Call it a holistic assessment. By producing quality graphs, data analysis, reflection and conclusions they will exhibit to me that they listened, understood and applied the concepts they were taught. I'd also add that my assessment will be based as much on their ability to make conclusions, form analysis and perhaps synthesize from graphs as from their ability to form them.
Reverse planning might exhibit this idea most clearly. A popular method of unit planning, it helps teachers look at what they want their students to learn in the end before breaking down the day-by-day or minute-by-minute run through. If I am craving a great steak, its a lot easier to plan a transportation route if I choose the restaurant beforehand. Hopping in a car, shifting to drive and speeding off without a destination in mind might get you a steak eventually but you can be guaranteed it will take a lot longer, the steak might not be as good and the other passengers in the car (say your students) will probably get cranky along the way.
Instruction must be planned with the end goal of a successful assessment in mind. Likewise, the assessment must be based on what the students learned in class, the standards at work and perhaps a greater goal in the works. Always keep it relevant.
My students will be assessed on the end product they hand it, as well as their thoughtfulness, understanding and contributions along the way. Call it a holistic assessment. By producing quality graphs, data analysis, reflection and conclusions they will exhibit to me that they listened, understood and applied the concepts they were taught. I'd also add that my assessment will be based as much on their ability to make conclusions, form analysis and perhaps synthesize from graphs as from their ability to form them.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Assigning activities your students won't hate you for...
A great web-based activity for students should first include clear directions and expectations. If students feel confusion about the assignment, even the best activity will be doomed. In addition, the activity should be active and engaging. Student interest and excitement can outweigh any hesitation the students may have about the math involved. Teachers may even want to ask their students about what topics interest them!
In addition, teachers should try to differentiate the project, making it unique and customized for their lower or higher level learners. Differentiation is also the name of the game as teachers try to mix in different learning styles into the activity. Make it part written, part visual, part auditory and part kinesthetic. Include as many learning styles as the activity will allow!
Here are a few web-based activities that should be used for middle school students. They have elements of graphing and/or data analysis.
-Weather Forecast Showdown
Students complete a webquest involving the data analysis of weather reporting accuracy over several television networks, newspaper and other sources in your area.
-Create your own bar graphs
Students are able to take data that they have found or were given and create their own electronic graphs. Simple and easy to use for beginners!
-Graphs Galore
Students act as newspaper reporters to investigate a story and report on it using graphs to present and prove their findings.
In addition, teachers should try to differentiate the project, making it unique and customized for their lower or higher level learners. Differentiation is also the name of the game as teachers try to mix in different learning styles into the activity. Make it part written, part visual, part auditory and part kinesthetic. Include as many learning styles as the activity will allow!
Here are a few web-based activities that should be used for middle school students. They have elements of graphing and/or data analysis.
-Weather Forecast Showdown
Students complete a webquest involving the data analysis of weather reporting accuracy over several television networks, newspaper and other sources in your area.
-Create your own bar graphs
Students are able to take data that they have found or were given and create their own electronic graphs. Simple and easy to use for beginners!
-Graphs Galore
Students act as newspaper reporters to investigate a story and report on it using graphs to present and prove their findings.
Curriculum of Choice: Graphs & Data Analysis
The curriculum area I choose to cover is graphs and data analysis at the 6th and 7th grade level. This area offers a number of exciting possibilities for students to investigate and learn about via the internet. In addition, they will have the opportunity to conceive and create graphs of their own electronically through Microsoft Excel or similar software.
One of the great benefits of using technology for this topic is that data can be researched and developed in many different ways. A student may look at data through one lens whereas another may see it, with the same accuracy, through a completely different perspective.
This topic also allows students to have the opportunity to research topics that interest them. One student may choose to analyze and graph the batting averages of a baseball team. Another student may research fashion sales over the last 10 years.
On a final note, I think this topic closely relates to technology due to the massive amount of visual representation, be it graphs, charts, tables or models, available through the internet. The students will have a great opportunity to search for, study and interpret these representations should the assignment and standards emphasize that skill.
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