History is one of the subjects that I look forward the most to teaching my future students. The article "Immerse your students in history" discusses interesting new ways to engage students of today. In this article, the teacher explored OpenSimulator, an open source, multiuser, multiplatform, 3D application server. The teacher drafted and built a sophisticated virtual world representing the setting of Anne Frank's story with academic activities for students to participate. The teacher was able to get financial support to create this digital world. The team the teacher hired created the streets of Amsterdam where Anne Frank and her family hid for two years. Students can walk around and explore objects by clicking on them. The objects reveal diary notes, literature connections, and recent films about The Diary of Anne Frank. The students can practice math by measuring the rooms of the annex and comparing them to their own rooms. For a final project students created an exhibit in a virtual Holocaust museum. This project succeeded in it's mission to educate students in a new way and it allowed them to explore history interactively then share what they learned through their own creative process by creating a museum.
This project took a great deal of work from the teacher. The creative process, financial aspect, time management, hiring a team to create the virtual world, and implementing it with students. I am very impressed with the effort and determination by this teacher. And it truly shows with the final product. It is an awesome way to get students to learn about history, through a game. There are games that peaked my interest in this manner like BioShock Infinite developed by Irrational Games that is based on the historical events at the turn of the 20th century, such as the 1893 World Columbian Exposition, but also incorporates recent events such as the 2011 Occupy Movement. Also, the game Never Alone, Kisima Innitchuna ("I am not alone") by Upper One Games. This game is based around the Alaskan indigenous folklore and restoring balance. I think OpenSimulator and game engines like Unity are a great way to create interactive games that peak the interests of students while teaching them about subjects and technology.
This article addressed the ISTE Standards for students with Standard 1. The students were able to use their creativity and innovation to create original works as a means of personal expression, by creating their final project their exhibit in a virtual Holocaust museum (Standard 1b). It also addressed Standard 4, the students planned and managed activities to complete a project (Standard 4b). They were able to explore the virtual world of Anne Frank and then create their own exhibit in a Holocaust museum. Lastly, it addressed Standard 6. The students were able to use the OpenSimulator to create their own 3D representation of an exhibit in a Holocaust museum.
Higgin, T. (2015). Three awesome educational games hiding in plain sight. KQED News.
http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/03/30/three-awesome-educational-games-hiding-in-plain-sight/
Wheelock, A. (2012). Immerse your students in history. Learning & Leading with Technology, 39(7), 26-27.
ISTE. (2007). ISTE Standards: students. International Society for Technology in Education.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Take a class to India, Wow!!
In the article "Yes, You Can Take a Field Trip to India!", a former classroom teacher was preparing a trip to India and thought about what she should bring, and thought, what about a classroom. She reached out to a few schools in the Los Angeles area and a 3rd grade teacher from a charter school was interested. A week before the trip she visited the students at the school and showed them a slide show about India and a world map. There was quite a bit of discussion about India, traveling, time zones, and etc. She then explained how she would blog, they would read her posts, and they would Skype together. She also gave them a book about India and took their photos for her blog. She wrote her first blog post the day before she left which featured photos of her virtual travelers and during her 17-day trip she wrote 13 posts. She did write about some of the technological difficulties she had experienced during her trip: adapters that did not work in India, software difficulties between laptop and iPad, blowing out fuses, etc. Also, with the time differences Skype proved challenging as well. However, when she got back from her trip she was reunited with the classroom and they were very eager to hear all about her trip. The students had plenty of questions and they were very inspired to travel to learn more about other cultures.
I think this is a great idea for teachers who love to travel. Students could follow their teachers during breaks and during the summer. I know several teachers that travel during these times and it could be a great learning experience for students. Students could follow their teacher's blogs and comment. Teachers could create iMovies from videos taken during their trips and post on Youtube for students to watch. Or like this article suggests teachers can pair with individuals traveling during the school year for more of an interactive classroom experience. It does take a deal of organization and planning to schedule Skype and classroom discussions. But, overall the real life experience through virtual applications is a very exciting one for students to share.
As for the ISTE Standards for students, virtual traveling addresses Standard 2. Students develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures (Standard 2c). The students were able to learn about India and India's culture through slides, books, maps, blogposts, and Skype. It also addressed Standard 6. The students understood and used blogs & Skype to learn about India (Standard 6b).
Casolaro, N. (2013). Yes, you can take a field trip to India! Learning & Leading with Technology, 41(1), 30-32.
ISTE. (2007). ISTE Standards: students. International Society for Technology in Education.
I think this is a great idea for teachers who love to travel. Students could follow their teachers during breaks and during the summer. I know several teachers that travel during these times and it could be a great learning experience for students. Students could follow their teacher's blogs and comment. Teachers could create iMovies from videos taken during their trips and post on Youtube for students to watch. Or like this article suggests teachers can pair with individuals traveling during the school year for more of an interactive classroom experience. It does take a deal of organization and planning to schedule Skype and classroom discussions. But, overall the real life experience through virtual applications is a very exciting one for students to share.
As for the ISTE Standards for students, virtual traveling addresses Standard 2. Students develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures (Standard 2c). The students were able to learn about India and India's culture through slides, books, maps, blogposts, and Skype. It also addressed Standard 6. The students understood and used blogs & Skype to learn about India (Standard 6b).
Casolaro, N. (2013). Yes, you can take a field trip to India! Learning & Leading with Technology, 41(1), 30-32.
ISTE. (2007). ISTE Standards: students. International Society for Technology in Education.
Monday, April 6, 2015
My Personal Learning Network
Starting my PLN, for those not familiar, it stands for my personal learning network. This contains valuable resources for my educational journey. This includes my use of feedly, twitter, and classroom 2.0. In the past, I had used google reader to follow the news, local news, favorite blogs, etc. However, I had not followed anything linked to education besides Ted talks. I had no account or experience with twitter and I was quite apprehensive to start using twitter. I had only seen people use twitter for gossip, beachbody fitness, and other silliness that I did not relate to. However, after starting my account I am shocked to see how many valuable resources are available for education. I recently joined Classroom 2.0 and was accepted as a member. As an educator today, I see how having a PLN is necessary for the education profession because there is a constant stream of information available for curricula and forums for discussion.
As I had mentioned before, the use of RSS feeds was not new to me. Google reader was a great source for me to have my news and blogs located in one place to scan through and read the articles that peaked an interest for me. Feedly, is another great RSS feed to do the same. I have noticed that it is harder to link blogs to feedly than it was with google reader and there are quite a few blogs that do not link to feedly. I also found this problem to exist with podcasts as well. For example, I love listening to KCRW podcasts "To the Point" and "Eclectic24" and I was unable to link those to feedly. However, there were some great links that could be added like the blog "Ask a Tech Teacher" and my favorite tech websites Gizmodo & Wired. For example, the Ask a Tech Teacher blog posted today "3 Apps That Encourage Students To Read". It lists a Starfall app as one of them, which is awesome. I did not realize Starfall had an app. I had used Starfall.com on my laptop for my little one before kindergarten. She was able to familiarize herself to letters sounds, and beginning stages of reading. It is great to have more accessible tools for student learning. At this moment, I am following 10 websites in feedly but I will continue to search for more valuable information to add to my RSS feed.
Twitter, I never thought I would use it and now I don't think I could do without it. I had no idea there were so many valuable resources for education on twitter. It is unreal! I am already following 60 people! I added the people recommended from the book, Personal Learning Network: Using the Power of Connections to Transform Education, Richardson and Mancabelli (2011). I also combed through the educators available on http://twitter4teachers.pbworks.com/. There were a lot of people on this list that did not share any tweets or were not valid twitter accounts or no longer tweeted. So, I added only the people that had at least 100 tweets and made some in the last 6 months. It was great to see educators with thousands of tweets. And there were so many articles and conversations that sparked my interest immediately. For example, @WeAreTeachers the article "Proving the Myth of Mulitasking with a Simple Experiment" for all the teens with an incoming text, snapchat alert, instagram alert, music blaring, etc. I found this article to be relevant for the modern teen, and the experiment outlined in the article was a great way to show students how all of their multitasking is actually distraction from the learning process. I have not tweeted yet. I plan on sharing my educational journey and information I find valuable to the educational community. To say I am impressed with Twitter is an understatement, I am shocked how it is easier to use than feedly and gives me access to a network of educators that I did not realize was possible.
Which leads me to Classroom 2.0, I have been accepted as one of their members. Classroom 2.0 is a community for educators to collaborate through forums, videos, and articles. I explored Classroom 2.0 extensively and I found that it was a little outdated. I found that many discussion and blog posts were from 2011 and earlier. I also saw quite a few posts from educators asking for help on a matter with no response, which is discouraging because I would think more educators would respond with a helpful tip or link. However, I did find some valuable discussions about Google Drive, Smartboards, and Collaborative Concept Mapping. I see Classroom 2.0 being a valuable source from the community of educators if there is more participation and posts.
Overall, I am excited with my PLN. I am already checking my sources daily and gaining valuable insight. I see my PLN only continuing to grow with educational sources.
Richardson and Mancabelli. (2011). Personal Learning Network: Using the Power of Connections to Transform Education.
As I had mentioned before, the use of RSS feeds was not new to me. Google reader was a great source for me to have my news and blogs located in one place to scan through and read the articles that peaked an interest for me. Feedly, is another great RSS feed to do the same. I have noticed that it is harder to link blogs to feedly than it was with google reader and there are quite a few blogs that do not link to feedly. I also found this problem to exist with podcasts as well. For example, I love listening to KCRW podcasts "To the Point" and "Eclectic24" and I was unable to link those to feedly. However, there were some great links that could be added like the blog "Ask a Tech Teacher" and my favorite tech websites Gizmodo & Wired. For example, the Ask a Tech Teacher blog posted today "3 Apps That Encourage Students To Read". It lists a Starfall app as one of them, which is awesome. I did not realize Starfall had an app. I had used Starfall.com on my laptop for my little one before kindergarten. She was able to familiarize herself to letters sounds, and beginning stages of reading. It is great to have more accessible tools for student learning. At this moment, I am following 10 websites in feedly but I will continue to search for more valuable information to add to my RSS feed.
Twitter, I never thought I would use it and now I don't think I could do without it. I had no idea there were so many valuable resources for education on twitter. It is unreal! I am already following 60 people! I added the people recommended from the book, Personal Learning Network: Using the Power of Connections to Transform Education, Richardson and Mancabelli (2011). I also combed through the educators available on http://twitter4teachers.pbworks.com/. There were a lot of people on this list that did not share any tweets or were not valid twitter accounts or no longer tweeted. So, I added only the people that had at least 100 tweets and made some in the last 6 months. It was great to see educators with thousands of tweets. And there were so many articles and conversations that sparked my interest immediately. For example, @WeAreTeachers the article "Proving the Myth of Mulitasking with a Simple Experiment" for all the teens with an incoming text, snapchat alert, instagram alert, music blaring, etc. I found this article to be relevant for the modern teen, and the experiment outlined in the article was a great way to show students how all of their multitasking is actually distraction from the learning process. I have not tweeted yet. I plan on sharing my educational journey and information I find valuable to the educational community. To say I am impressed with Twitter is an understatement, I am shocked how it is easier to use than feedly and gives me access to a network of educators that I did not realize was possible.
Which leads me to Classroom 2.0, I have been accepted as one of their members. Classroom 2.0 is a community for educators to collaborate through forums, videos, and articles. I explored Classroom 2.0 extensively and I found that it was a little outdated. I found that many discussion and blog posts were from 2011 and earlier. I also saw quite a few posts from educators asking for help on a matter with no response, which is discouraging because I would think more educators would respond with a helpful tip or link. However, I did find some valuable discussions about Google Drive, Smartboards, and Collaborative Concept Mapping. I see Classroom 2.0 being a valuable source from the community of educators if there is more participation and posts.
Overall, I am excited with my PLN. I am already checking my sources daily and gaining valuable insight. I see my PLN only continuing to grow with educational sources.
Richardson and Mancabelli. (2011). Personal Learning Network: Using the Power of Connections to Transform Education.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Mystery Skype
Mystery Skype, another fun way to fuel the interests of students. It promotes collaboration, and communication skills. How you ask? Well, it was shown to do all of these things in the article "Where in the world are they? Students find out with Mystery Skype." In this article, a teacher of 5th grade students describes how easy it is to do. Teachers can Google mystery Skype and find eager participants and then set a day and time. She recommends that you assign students to roles or jobs during the call like greeter, inquirers, answerers, think tanks, atlas mappers, Google mappers, closers, etc. All of these roles help students to guess where the students on the Skype call are from. "Is it North Carolina?" It is recommended to give students plenty of time to prepare for the call, collecting maps and such. And during the call teachers will have to sit back and watch. There should be a rule on how many questions asked before they can guess, to keep students from just guessing by listing off the states. Students will do their jobs, collaborate, and work as a team. The mystery Skype will continue until both classrooms have figured it out, and then leave a little time for more questions. And then after the call, students will reflect on what questions worked and what needs to be changed. The article then says the teacher can wait for a moment for a student to say, "When can we do it again?"
I think this is such a great way to motivate 5th grade students to learn about the different states in the United States. The students have to study different states their characteristics, geography, and state facts to be prepared for the mystery Skype call. Plus, they have to work together to figure out clues and fulfill their jobs in the call. Their different roles are perfect for keeping the students productive and working together to figure out the state. This use of the Skype application is a great way to teach geography, history, collaboration, and communication.
As for the ISTE standards for students, mystery Skype addresses Standard 2. Interact and collaborate with peers using a digital environment and media (Standard 2a). The students interact and collaborate using Skype to discover another classroom's state. It also addresses Standard 3, the students plan strategies to guide inquiry (Standard 3a). Students are given a few days to use sources like google maps to plan strategies to mystery skype. Mystery Skype addresses Standard 4, critical thinking, problem solving, decision making. The students have to use critical thinking skills to figure out the other classroom's state. It also addresses Standard 5, digital citizenship, because it teaches students to exhibit a positive attitude towards using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity (Standard 5b). And last, but not least mystery skype addresses Standard 6, technology operations and concepts. Students use a variety of applications effectively and productively like skype, google maps, etc (Standard 6b).
Ripp, P. (2013). Where in the world are they? Students find out with mystery Skype. Learning & Leading with Technology, 40(5), 30-31.
I think this is such a great way to motivate 5th grade students to learn about the different states in the United States. The students have to study different states their characteristics, geography, and state facts to be prepared for the mystery Skype call. Plus, they have to work together to figure out clues and fulfill their jobs in the call. Their different roles are perfect for keeping the students productive and working together to figure out the state. This use of the Skype application is a great way to teach geography, history, collaboration, and communication.
As for the ISTE standards for students, mystery Skype addresses Standard 2. Interact and collaborate with peers using a digital environment and media (Standard 2a). The students interact and collaborate using Skype to discover another classroom's state. It also addresses Standard 3, the students plan strategies to guide inquiry (Standard 3a). Students are given a few days to use sources like google maps to plan strategies to mystery skype. Mystery Skype addresses Standard 4, critical thinking, problem solving, decision making. The students have to use critical thinking skills to figure out the other classroom's state. It also addresses Standard 5, digital citizenship, because it teaches students to exhibit a positive attitude towards using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity (Standard 5b). And last, but not least mystery skype addresses Standard 6, technology operations and concepts. Students use a variety of applications effectively and productively like skype, google maps, etc (Standard 6b).
Ripp, P. (2013). Where in the world are they? Students find out with mystery Skype. Learning & Leading with Technology, 40(5), 30-31.
UDL & Building an Assistive Technology
UDL? What is it? UDL stands for Universal Design for Learning. The video I watched about UDL focused on the fact that all teachers have diverse students from gender, ethnicity, religion, special education, and etc. And a curriculum needs to be designed from the beginning to meet the needs of all students, hence the need for a Universal Design for Learning. A flexible design for students "in the margins" that include many more students as well. The video focuses on 3 UDL principles; representation, action & expression, and engagement. These principles focus on presenting content with varied supports, plenty of options for students to express what they know, and choices to fuel interests & autonomy.
To further engage in this topic, I read "Build an assistive technology toolkit". This article focuses on AT, assistive technology. It shares a variety of sources for teachers to work with the IT department at their school to install AT software. Assistive technology instills independence and confidence in students with special needs, for example online libraries with text to speech software that helps students that are visibly impaired. There are other sources for AT, like online concept map software, and online spell checkers. All of these tools can help special needs students, and also other students who might need the tools to help with their learning. These two topics tie together by the common thread of representation. AT helps meet the UDL principle of representation by presenting the material with varied support. AT gives students support for text to speech, magnification, on-screen keyboard, changing text size, mouse keys, and etc. All of these tools could help diverse students with their learning.
As for the ISTE standards for teachers, these two sources address Standard 4. It addresses the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and access to appropriate digital tools and resources (Standard 4b). The teachers learn from UDL to create a curriculum from the start that meets the needs of all students by creating a flexible curricula that has a variety of strategies that can be understood by everyone. And building an assistive technology at a school will give address the diverse needs of all learners.
As for the ISTE standards for students, the UDL video did not address any specific use of technology for students. However, the article did address Standard 6. Select and use applications effectively and productively (Standard 6b). The assistive technology gives students the opportunity to choose which software helps their learning experience and productively finish their assignments.
(2015). Videos about UDL. National Center on Universal Design for Learning.
http://www.udlcenter.org/resource _library/videos/udlcenter/udl#videoO/
Ahrens, K. (2011). Build an assistive technology toolkit. Learning & Leading with Technology, 39(3), 22-24.
To further engage in this topic, I read "Build an assistive technology toolkit". This article focuses on AT, assistive technology. It shares a variety of sources for teachers to work with the IT department at their school to install AT software. Assistive technology instills independence and confidence in students with special needs, for example online libraries with text to speech software that helps students that are visibly impaired. There are other sources for AT, like online concept map software, and online spell checkers. All of these tools can help special needs students, and also other students who might need the tools to help with their learning. These two topics tie together by the common thread of representation. AT helps meet the UDL principle of representation by presenting the material with varied support. AT gives students support for text to speech, magnification, on-screen keyboard, changing text size, mouse keys, and etc. All of these tools could help diverse students with their learning.
As for the ISTE standards for teachers, these two sources address Standard 4. It addresses the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and access to appropriate digital tools and resources (Standard 4b). The teachers learn from UDL to create a curriculum from the start that meets the needs of all students by creating a flexible curricula that has a variety of strategies that can be understood by everyone. And building an assistive technology at a school will give address the diverse needs of all learners.
As for the ISTE standards for students, the UDL video did not address any specific use of technology for students. However, the article did address Standard 6. Select and use applications effectively and productively (Standard 6b). The assistive technology gives students the opportunity to choose which software helps their learning experience and productively finish their assignments.
(2015). Videos about UDL. National Center on Universal Design for Learning.
http://www.udlcenter.org/resource _library/videos/udlcenter/udl#videoO/
Ahrens, K. (2011). Build an assistive technology toolkit. Learning & Leading with Technology, 39(3), 22-24.
Monday, March 2, 2015
Flipping Libraries, What?
So, there has been a lot of talk in our 422 class about the new phenomenon of flipping classrooms. But, have you heard of flipping libraries? Well, I had not, until I read the article "Flip your Library". In this article, a high school in Seattle, Washington decided after using flipped classrooms they were going to use the same philosophy and flip their library. In this example, they moved the tour of the library and the rules/expectations to the web. The school used GoAnimate.com to create the library orientation. They also created a quiz about the video for students on PollEverywhere.com to clear up any confusion or misconceptions.
The school states they went further then just flipping the library they changed the culture of the library. They did this by creating a "just ask" motto, and ensuring students that the librarians are experts in information and technology and are there to help. The school found that by using technology to flip their library orientation the results were more student interaction and an overall better transition for freshmen.
I am unsure how I feel about flipping classrooms and now flipping libraries. I think there is a lot a video orientation or tutorial could offer a student if it was efficient and well thought out. However, even in this article it states the school over did it the second year making the orientation 80 minutes long. As a student in high school, I probably would have zoned out after the first five minutes. However, I think back to my library orientation at CSUSM way back when it was in the library and it took a very long time to go through everything and it was just basics. I would like to see schools implementing a few short videos for the library: for the layout, the rules, the research, catalog & computer use, and on plagiarism. I think they would be helpful to any student attending a high school or college. I am concerned for students that do not have access to computers or internet at home, because the article does state the students at the high school have to watch the video at home and this could be a problem for many students. However, I am impressed with the "just ask" motto implemented by the school. I think it is important for students to feel comfortable asking a librarian for assistance and it is great that these librarians are so approachable.
As for the ISTE standards for students, flipping the library addresses Standard 5. Digital citizenship (Standard 5a). The students learn in the orientation how to practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology. The orientation video and the quiz also addresses Standard 6. Technology operations and concepts. The students are able to watch the videos from GoAnimate.com and take the quiz from PollEverywhere.com to learn more about their school library.
What do you group members think? Should all high schools and colleges flip their libraries?
Hershey, H., & Belcher, S. (2013-14). Flip your library. Learning & Leading with Technology, 41(4), 22-25.
ISTE. (2007). ISTE standards: students. International Society for Technology in Education.
The school states they went further then just flipping the library they changed the culture of the library. They did this by creating a "just ask" motto, and ensuring students that the librarians are experts in information and technology and are there to help. The school found that by using technology to flip their library orientation the results were more student interaction and an overall better transition for freshmen.
I am unsure how I feel about flipping classrooms and now flipping libraries. I think there is a lot a video orientation or tutorial could offer a student if it was efficient and well thought out. However, even in this article it states the school over did it the second year making the orientation 80 minutes long. As a student in high school, I probably would have zoned out after the first five minutes. However, I think back to my library orientation at CSUSM way back when it was in the library and it took a very long time to go through everything and it was just basics. I would like to see schools implementing a few short videos for the library: for the layout, the rules, the research, catalog & computer use, and on plagiarism. I think they would be helpful to any student attending a high school or college. I am concerned for students that do not have access to computers or internet at home, because the article does state the students at the high school have to watch the video at home and this could be a problem for many students. However, I am impressed with the "just ask" motto implemented by the school. I think it is important for students to feel comfortable asking a librarian for assistance and it is great that these librarians are so approachable.
As for the ISTE standards for students, flipping the library addresses Standard 5. Digital citizenship (Standard 5a). The students learn in the orientation how to practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology. The orientation video and the quiz also addresses Standard 6. Technology operations and concepts. The students are able to watch the videos from GoAnimate.com and take the quiz from PollEverywhere.com to learn more about their school library.
What do you group members think? Should all high schools and colleges flip their libraries?
Hershey, H., & Belcher, S. (2013-14). Flip your library. Learning & Leading with Technology, 41(4), 22-25.
ISTE. (2007). ISTE standards: students. International Society for Technology in Education.
6th grade Blogging
In one of my comments I had expressed my concern for a kindergarten teacher asking her students to participate by following her blog and twitter account. I found that it was not an age for such a request to be reasonable. However, in reading the article "Blogging in Ancient Rome", I found the use of blogs in this situation not only to be reasonable but also a great opportunity for students to learn more about their curriculum. The main difference in these two scenarios are the grade levels. The students in this article are in 6th grade. There is a maturity and experience with technology in 6th graders that gives these teachers the opportunity to introduce the ideas of blogs and teach them what they are, the different types of blogs, and how to have privacy and stay safe online. This is very important!
The teachers in this article used Kidblog.org for the students, because it was secure and the teachers would have control over all posts to make sure the kids were posting appropriate content. In this article, the teachers assigned characters to the students from a novel to give them the opportunity to research and explore the character. In this example, the students were able to be creative and innovative. They were only were required to comment in character to two other blog posts, but they wrote a lot more showing they were having fun. One more great thing about this exercise for students was they were not allowed to use text-speak, they had to use formal writing.
I see this use of Blogging as a great way to involve students to the depth of History, Art, and English. It gives the students an opportunity to get into another character, research the time their character lived, and respond with creativity. Moreover, as a future educator, I like the fact that with using Kidblog.org the teachers have full control to approve all posts and make sure the students are on topic and responding appropriately. Also, it is encouraging to see how creative the teachers were by presenting challenging situations to the students to keep the blog thought provoking.
This type of Blogging for 6th graders meets many ISTE standards for students, such as Standard 1. Creativity and Innovation. The students demonstrated creative thinking and expression, construct knowledge and processes using Blogging technology. Standard 2. Communication and collaboration. (Standard 2a). The students are using the blogging form to interact with other students and publishing on Kidblog. Standard 5. Digital citizenship. (Standard 2a). The opportunity for teachers to teach students about how to maintain privacy and stay safe online. Also, the fact that the teachers have control over all posts make sure the students are learning how to write appropriate content and be responsible. Standard 6. Technology operations and concepts. The students learn about Blogging, the different types, and how to use the format effectively.
Barrett, J. & Goldsby, C. (2013). Blogging in ancient Rome. Learning & Leading with Technology, 41(3), 34-35.
ISTE. (2007). ISTE standards: students. International Society for Technology in Education.
The teachers in this article used Kidblog.org for the students, because it was secure and the teachers would have control over all posts to make sure the kids were posting appropriate content. In this article, the teachers assigned characters to the students from a novel to give them the opportunity to research and explore the character. In this example, the students were able to be creative and innovative. They were only were required to comment in character to two other blog posts, but they wrote a lot more showing they were having fun. One more great thing about this exercise for students was they were not allowed to use text-speak, they had to use formal writing.
I see this use of Blogging as a great way to involve students to the depth of History, Art, and English. It gives the students an opportunity to get into another character, research the time their character lived, and respond with creativity. Moreover, as a future educator, I like the fact that with using Kidblog.org the teachers have full control to approve all posts and make sure the students are on topic and responding appropriately. Also, it is encouraging to see how creative the teachers were by presenting challenging situations to the students to keep the blog thought provoking.
This type of Blogging for 6th graders meets many ISTE standards for students, such as Standard 1. Creativity and Innovation. The students demonstrated creative thinking and expression, construct knowledge and processes using Blogging technology. Standard 2. Communication and collaboration. (Standard 2a). The students are using the blogging form to interact with other students and publishing on Kidblog. Standard 5. Digital citizenship. (Standard 2a). The opportunity for teachers to teach students about how to maintain privacy and stay safe online. Also, the fact that the teachers have control over all posts make sure the students are learning how to write appropriate content and be responsible. Standard 6. Technology operations and concepts. The students learn about Blogging, the different types, and how to use the format effectively.
Barrett, J. & Goldsby, C. (2013). Blogging in ancient Rome. Learning & Leading with Technology, 41(3), 34-35.
ISTE. (2007). ISTE standards: students. International Society for Technology in Education.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Coding in Elementary
Another great example of helping students with problem solving, is teaching them the ability to code. In the article "Coding in the Elementary School Classroom", 4th grade students are shown how to use MIT's Scratch. The educator initiates the program by discussing the basic blocks of coding. The students master the basic concepts and then their imaginations go wild. They are able to create and use problem solving techniques to code. Students deal with challenges like creating their own backgrounds and reprogramming things to make it better. The teacher found the students to be both enthusiastic and analytical while programming.
I think coding and programming is a powerful tool for students. It uses art, creativity, math, logic, and problem solving techniques to make a game or program. These skills would only help students be better in school and perhaps a career path. I think early exposure to coding and programming is a smart move as well, because as people age they tend to be fearful of the challenges of technology.
The teacher in this article states they started this curriculum for the students, because of the ISTE Standards for Students and Common Core State Standards. Coding was an innovative way for this teacher to implement these new standards. Hats off to this teacher for finding such a great way to help students and spark their interest by implementing new standards.
Mak, J. (2014). Coding in the elementary school classroom. Learning & Leading with Technology, 41(6), 26-27.
ISTE. (2007). ISTE standards: students. International Society for Technology in Education.
I think coding and programming is a powerful tool for students. It uses art, creativity, math, logic, and problem solving techniques to make a game or program. These skills would only help students be better in school and perhaps a career path. I think early exposure to coding and programming is a smart move as well, because as people age they tend to be fearful of the challenges of technology.
The teacher in this article states they started this curriculum for the students, because of the ISTE Standards for Students and Common Core State Standards. Coding was an innovative way for this teacher to implement these new standards. Hats off to this teacher for finding such a great way to help students and spark their interest by implementing new standards.
Mak, J. (2014). Coding in the elementary school classroom. Learning & Leading with Technology, 41(6), 26-27.
ISTE. (2007). ISTE standards: students. International Society for Technology in Education.
Student-generated Screencasts
In my prior post, I highlighted the use of electronics by students. Frequently, students are distracted in the classroom with their smartphones, iPods, iPads, and other devices. In the article, "Students explain everything using iPads", a more productive approach is shown for students and educators by using screencast apps on their devices. The screencast app that is explored in this article is ExplainEverything. The screencast app proves to be valuable on both sides of the classroom, teachers and students. For educators, ExplainEverything shows the steps a student will take solving a problem. It will show slide by slide the written process by students to solve the equation and it will also capture the students voice explaining what they are discovering as they write out the problem and solve it. These are critical steps to see where there could be misconceptions and for teachers to redirect their lesson. These screencast apps are also proving to engage students and promote their understanding of class material.
I see the use of ExplainEverything and other screencast apps as valuable tools for educators. The process alone for the student: (1) To analyze the problem, (2) Speak aloud the problem and all of their thought processes and steps, (3) To be able to visually create models with the graphics and tools provided by the app, (4) All to find a solution, (5)And teachers get to witness this whole process through the app. This is gold. From my experience volunteering at my daughter's school, I am given worksheets with errors by students. I am then instructed to work one on one with students to help them with misconceptions or lack of understanding with lessons. These worksheets could have been completed yesterday or last week. And it takes effort to reengage the student with the worksheet and then go through the entire process of the problem to find where there was a lack of understanding. I definitely can see where ExplainEverything can be valuable in every classroom for students, volunteers, and teachers.
This article about screencast apps directly links to ISTE standards for students and teachers. This technology gives students a tool to use critical thinking for problem solving (ISTE, 2007). It also helps educators facilitate learning and promotes self-reflection using the app to clarify their insight and thought process. Overall, I find this to be a step in the right direction. There are schools in certain districts assigning iPads to students for the school year and this is a great app to see how the students are solving problems. I also, recently read another article "The Secret to Raising Smart Kids" and this article stresses the importance of children's problem solving abilities. This article informs us about how important the process of problem solving is and how it encourages effective strategies and consistent personal effort. The article claims this process is what truly helps students become high achievers not the ingrained belief they're talented or smart.
Soto, M., & Hargis, J.(2014). Students explain everything using iPads. Learning & Leading with Technology, 41(7), 32-33.
ISTE. (2007). ISTE standards: students. International Society for Technology in Education.
ISTE. (2008). ISTE standards: teachers. International Society for Technology in Education.
Dweck, C. (2015). The secret to raising smart kids. Scientific American.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-secret-to-raising-smart-kids1/
I see the use of ExplainEverything and other screencast apps as valuable tools for educators. The process alone for the student: (1) To analyze the problem, (2) Speak aloud the problem and all of their thought processes and steps, (3) To be able to visually create models with the graphics and tools provided by the app, (4) All to find a solution, (5)And teachers get to witness this whole process through the app. This is gold. From my experience volunteering at my daughter's school, I am given worksheets with errors by students. I am then instructed to work one on one with students to help them with misconceptions or lack of understanding with lessons. These worksheets could have been completed yesterday or last week. And it takes effort to reengage the student with the worksheet and then go through the entire process of the problem to find where there was a lack of understanding. I definitely can see where ExplainEverything can be valuable in every classroom for students, volunteers, and teachers.
This article about screencast apps directly links to ISTE standards for students and teachers. This technology gives students a tool to use critical thinking for problem solving (ISTE, 2007). It also helps educators facilitate learning and promotes self-reflection using the app to clarify their insight and thought process. Overall, I find this to be a step in the right direction. There are schools in certain districts assigning iPads to students for the school year and this is a great app to see how the students are solving problems. I also, recently read another article "The Secret to Raising Smart Kids" and this article stresses the importance of children's problem solving abilities. This article informs us about how important the process of problem solving is and how it encourages effective strategies and consistent personal effort. The article claims this process is what truly helps students become high achievers not the ingrained belief they're talented or smart.
Soto, M., & Hargis, J.(2014). Students explain everything using iPads. Learning & Leading with Technology, 41(7), 32-33.
ISTE. (2007). ISTE standards: students. International Society for Technology in Education.
ISTE. (2008). ISTE standards: teachers. International Society for Technology in Education.
Dweck, C. (2015). The secret to raising smart kids. Scientific American.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-secret-to-raising-smart-kids1/
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Electronics & cell phones in Education
What is a pressing issue in education?
An issue I have noticed in the local schools of San Diego, is the use of electronics and phones by students in the classroom. There is a growing number of students that are bringing iPods and smartphones to school. It is proving to be a distraction even at the elementary level. From a personal standpoint, I have a daughter in the Carlsbad School District and several of her friends bring phones and iPods to school.
An issue I have noticed in the local schools of San Diego, is the use of electronics and phones by students in the classroom. There is a growing number of students that are bringing iPods and smartphones to school. It is proving to be a distraction even at the elementary level. From a personal standpoint, I have a daughter in the Carlsbad School District and several of her friends bring phones and iPods to school.
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