New Blogging Statistics

Yesterday, I came across an intereting blog. It's called blogworldexpo.com. They posted some interesting statistics about the size of the "blogosphere" as of 2009.

Here's are my top three picks of interesting statistics. I especially take note of the third point, as our students will soon be entering the workplace.

1. Over 12 million American adults currently maintain a blog.
2. Over 57 million Americans read blogs.
3. 89% of companies surveyed say they think blogs will be more important in the next five years.

I also did a bit of research about who exactly is the current day blogger, and found some interesting information about "The State of the Blogosphere 2009". This report indicates that the majority of adult bloggers are highly educated and earn above average income.

Here's a pie graph to illustrate the education levels of bloggers who were surveyed.

Since I started my own blog, I have really come to appreciate the vast amount of information that blogs have to offer, and the endless topics for blog readers to choose. It's a fascinating aspect of our culture.

Free Images!

Shutterstock is a webiste that has a large collection of royalty free images. This is a great source for enhancing PowerPoint presentations.

2009's Best Presentations on SlideShare.net

Check out the winning presenations for 2009.

Here's the presentation that took second prize.

Sheltering Wings

View more presentations from Sarah Cullem.

Easily Share Presentations and Documents Online

SlideShare.net is a host side for sharing presentations and documents. It supports a number of different formats (listed below), making it a versatile tool for uploading various types of presentations and documents.

Supported Formats
Presentations: pdf, ppt, pps, pptx, ppsx, pot, potx (Powerpoint); odp (OpenOffice); key, zip (Apple Keynote).
Documents: pdf, doc, docx, rtf, xls (MSOffice); odt, ods(OpenOffice); Apple iWork Pages.

The slideshow may be embedded into a blog or website. The example below is called "Shift Happens", and was originally created by Karl Fisch. Since then, different versions have been created utilizing music and more graphics, and posted on YouTube. Have a look and compare presentations!

SlideShare.net embedded slideshow:

Shift Happens

View more presentations from Jeff Brenman.

YouTube embedded slideshow as a flash video - Version "Did You Know 2.0"

Using PowerPoint in Mathematics

Targeted Implemenatation and Planning Supports For Revised Mathematics (TIPS4RM) provides resources for entire courses ranging from Grade 7 to Grade 12. Included in these resources are well-made PowerPoint presentations for various mathematical concepts.

I have used a number of the PowerPoint presenations for Grade 9 Applied, and have found them to be an excellent tool for consolidation of concepts. The students also enjoy the animations and the visual aids are very effective.

Enjoy!

Marcia

PowerPoint in the Classroom

The current topic of study is presentation software. Of course, this includes PowerPoint...

PowerPoint is a tool that can be extremely effective, but it does have its limits. On more than one occasion, I have fallen victim to the misuse of PowerPoint presentations with far too much written and graphical information. If the goal is to provide a full account of material covered in a lecture, I personally would prefer access to a word document, rather than a lengthy slide presentation.

I think PowerPoint is best used to accompany a presentation as a visual and/or audio aid, opposed to a thorough document that covers all the information. Using minimal text is a good strategy to focus the audience without distracting them from the presentation points. If someone were to print out the slides alone, they would be missing the "meat and potatoes" of the presentation, however those who are present may find it helpful to have a print out of the slides to follow along and add notes.

I also think that sometimes detail can be a good, as long as it is meaningful and displayed in an effective way. For example, in Math I have found that the animation options provide a very effective way to show full Math solutions step-by-step. By displaying each step of the solution individually, I can explain the solution slowly and carefully, while students anticipate the next step before it is displayed.

Searching the Sea of Visual Technology Resources

There are so many great digital imagery resources for the classroom available online! I have listed some useful sites that may serve as a starting point for those who are interested in learning about the different ways of incorporating visual technology into their lessons.

Visual Technology Resources

Digital Storytelling Resources
http://voicethread.com/
http://www.bitstripsforschools.com/

Educational Video Resources
http://www.teachertube.com/
http://www.dimensions-math.org/Dim_E.htm
http://www.youtube.com

Photograph Sharing
http://www.flickr.com/
http://picasa.google.ca/mac/

Slide Show Creation
http://www.faststone.org/
http://www.slide.com/

Time-lapse Video Creation
http://www.playingwithtime.org/

Creative Photograph Applications
http://bighugelabs.com/motivator.php

Digital Camera Learning Centre
http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=38/13915&pq-locale=en_US

Other Resources for Creation and Sharing of Digital Photographs and Videos
http://www.wordle.net/
http://www.jingproject.com/
http://www.awesomehighlighter.com/
http://pbworks.com/

Photo and Image Resources
http://images.google.com
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/index.cfm
http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic98.htm
http://www.kidsclick.org/psearch.html
http://www.awesomeclipartforeducators.com

Marcia

Make Your Own Motivational Posters

Students can get inspired and be creative in making their own motivational poster at bighugelabs.com.

It's very fast and easy to use. Students can share their poster with the class by presenting it on a PowerPoint or SmartBoard slide, or uploading their poster to a blog or any online conference. Here's one that I quickly made using an image from the Disover Magazine website (source listed below).
















Source: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/science-tattoo-emporium/?nggpage=11&pid=110

Accommodations in the Digital Classroom

10 Uses for a Digital Camera for Students with Learning Disabilities:

1. Create an individualized activity sheet, with photos of the student doing various physical activities
2. Create a concept map using photos, with labels (for various subjects)
3. Take pictures of animals, pets, and/or people and write about the picture
4. Take pictures on different days throughout the week, and have students try to sequence the pictures correctly
5. Build vocabulary with pictures of people, objects and places on school grounds (eg. Math or Science terms)
6. Comparing items, people, concepts and/or environments using digital imagery to support ideas
7. Use pictures of familiar places in the community to learn names and functions
8. Tell a story using digital storytelling application
9. Create title page of each unit in a course using pictures related to topics within that unit
10. Pictures to learn different ways of organizing/classifying items

Digital Classroom

10 Ways to Integrate Digital Cameras into the Classroom

1. For Geography – photos from an actual “fly over” of their city to document land uses and create a photo essay
2. For Math – photos of parabolas in real life applications
3. For Math – photos of 2-D and 3-D geometric shapes in real life
4. Family tree project including pictures of family members
5. Community Profile diagram (Student in centre, then working outwards to Family, Friends, School, Clubs, Town/City, Province, Country)
6. School Clubs and Sports activities
7. Assemblies and school events (eg. Terry Fox Run, or Drama Festival)
8. For Phys Ed or Art- Action shots
9. To create an advertisement
10. Embed images into presentations

Advantages of Digital Imagery

The use of digital photography has many advantages both in and out of the classroom. If planning on incorporating digital photography into your classroom, or if simply interested in learning how to take the perfect picture, you may find the following Photography Tips and Techniques helpful.

Advantages of Digital Photography

Immediately able to see the image (on digital camera), and assess the photo quality.
Know whether or not to retake the photo to get the desired results.
Not paying for development of unwanted photos.
Cheaper than buying and developing film.

Choice of printing one, some, or all of the photos.
Photos can be printed at any time, and as many times as needed.

Easy to organize by date, trip or category,
and therefore easy to find to specific photos.

Always a click away.
Very portable, can be accessed on phone or other hand held devices.

In terms of editing, there are many advantages, such as:
photo enhancement,
brightness adjustment,
horizon adjustment,
overlap different photos,
special effects (eg. black and white, and painting effect).

Efficient mass storage, using no physical space.
Images do not deteriorate over time.

Easy to share with one or many other people at the same time.
Can be downloaded from other sources.
Can be uploaded to a server or website.
Embed into documents and/or presentations.

Thanks for reading!

Marcia

Searching the Sea of Online Audio Resources

In researching audio technology for the classroom, I came across a vast array of resources. At first, it was difficult to know where to start, since there is so much available on the internet. However through collaboration and further research, I have chosen some useful resources to list here on my blog. I hope that this list could serve as a starting point for others who are interested in learning more about digital audio for the classroom.

Online Conferencing Applications
Skype
GoToMeeting

Online Lessons (Audio and/or Video)
iTunes U available online through iTunes Store

Collection of Educational Audio Books, Podcasts and Downloads
www.learnoutload.com

Free Audio Books
Classics
librivox.org
Classic Tales

Free Recording Sofware
Audacity

Free Audio Clips
www.partnersinrhyme.com
www.freeaudioclips.com
music.download.com
www.findsounds.com

Digital Storytelling Applications
Voicethread.com
Microsoft Photo Story


Happy researching!

Marcia

Free Text to Speech Software

Audio technology is a great way to aid and increase literacy in the classroom. The following text to speech applications are available as a free download. They are only compatible for Windows, however can read text from a variety of programs such as MS Word, MS Outlook, Internet Explorer and Adobe Reader. The voices sound a bit robotic, but overall the intonation and fluency are not bad.

Text-Speaker
Natural Readers

Marcia

Benefits of Digital Audio

The use of digital audio in the classroom offers more flexibility and convenience for both teachers and students. Listed below are some advantages of digital audio over cassettes and CD's.

1) Global audience potential
- Audio may be accessed by a global audience, increasing information distribution and student access. For student made audio, it increases student awareness of communication efficacy.

2) Easy to use
- digital audio files are easy to use, store and share.
- easier than cassettes to navigate to specific parts of the audio file.

3) Convenient classroom use
- Specific "listening centers" are not necessary since iPods or mp3 players can be brought to the students opposed to the students relocating to the cassette or CD player.
- can be used by many students at the same time with access to a set of mp3 players or iPods.

4) Increased accessibility
- audio files may be shared and copied electronically
- or may be posted online for either a specific group of people or everyone
- may be accessed at any time on iPod; does not require use of power outlet or cassette/CD player.


Example: Digital Audio in Special Education
Special education teachers can read upcoming tests, so that students may have access to narration.

- More convenient for students: can play and replay any question when needed.

- More convenient for teachers: teachers only have to read test questions once, then can distribute to a large number of students at the same time.


Marcia

What is RSS?

RSS, so I recently learned, stands for "Really Simple Syndication". I had no idea, and even after learning what the acronym stood for, I still had no idea.

I then found this video which is quite helpful in explaining RSS to people like me who are new to the whole scene of internet feeding - I mean - web feeds. Sorry, still learning the lingo. Basically, RSS helps to simplify the publishing and reading of information on the web.



Hope that helped.

Changing the Classroom, One Podcast at a TIme

I must admit, I did not know a whole lot about podcasting until reading the articles posted in this forum. Every once in a while, I would catch an advertisement on a newscast to “visit our website and watch the podcast”. I have used podcasts in my Grade 9 Geography classroom, mostly relevant stories that I had found on CBC News, however I also had the perception that podcasts usually included video. I now know that this is not the case, and that there is an immense collection of podcasts including audio only, audio with images, and of course videos.

So, in the spirit of integrating this technology in the classroom, I made a list of the benefits that I feel have the most impact.

1. Podcasts can “change student perceptions of audience.” (Fryer, p. 1)
One of teachers’ favourite questions is the same question that students’ despise. I’m speaking of: “Explain your thinking.” When posting information on the internet for everyone to hear (and see applicable), students are not only communicating to the teacher, but their peers as well, and potentially a global audience. This encourages them to be aware of different varying degrees of knowledge and perspectives of their audience. They are motivated to explain their points more thoroughly, opposed to assuming audience (being normally the teacher) knows what they mean.

2. Time/place choice
Podcasts have the power to change the classroom from a fixed location in space and time to a flexible location, giving more control to the learner. At the high school level, there has been much discussion about the time at which school should begin. You may recall the Toronto District School Board delaying the start time of one of their high schools to 10:00 a.m. to maximize student alertness during school time. (See Toronto Star Article, and CP24 Article)

Another benefit is that podcasts extend learning beyond the classroom walls. Students have the opportunity to create their own learning environment.

3. “No-frills communication” (Fryer, p. 3)
Audio podcasting forces students to communicate effectively without the use of visual aids. This encourages them to explain their ideas and/or understanding of concepts thoroughly. In Math, this would also be a useful method for encouraging students to learn and use the proper vocabulary related to the subject.

In conclusion, I have realized that I have underestimated the power of explicit audio learning. Podcasts offer a new and novel way to incorporate this learning style into my teaching. Upon further research and collaboration with colleagues, I hope the post a list of fun and interesting ways of incorporating technology for the audio learner.

Stay tuned☺

Marcia

Source:
Fryer, Wesley A. Tools for the Teks: Integrating Technology in the Classroom.

Spice Up Online Discussions with VoiceThread!

VoiceThread is a neat way to integrate audio, images and text into story telling and discussion. It's very interactive, and offers different options for comment participation. Users may comment in the form of text, audio or video. You can even comment from your cell phone!

This VoiceThread discusses the use of this application for educational purposes. I was intrigued to hear and see comments from educators all over the world!

Marcia

Math Podcasting

Assessment and evaluation in the Math classroom has certainly changed over the years. Students are evaluated in four categories: Knowledge, Application, Thinking/Inquiry, and Communication. For me, Communication to be the most difficult category to assess and evaluate in my Math classes. I often find myself trying think of different and/or better ways of doing this, and podcasting seems to be an interesting option to add to the list.

I like the idea that students can focus on taking what they know about Math (vocabulary, strategies, skills and knowledge) to communicate these ideas effectively. This is often a challenge, even for the brightest students. I also like that it promotes overall communication skills as they "become attuned to their tone, intonation, speed of delivery, and expression..." (Fryer, p. 2).

At the end of Fryer's article, he asks, "Isn't it time you and your students started a classroom podcast?", I thought, "Yes, of course! .... Ok.... How?"

This is where I got "stuck" - how can I effectively integrate this technology into my Math classes. I wrote down a few things that came to mind, and right away I was thinking mostly about reflective activities. I listed some ideas below:

Group reflection assignment: Students talk about the unit. Discuss what they learned, liked, disliked. Discuss what they found interesting, things they would like to learn more about or do more of in class. OR they could summarize the unit as a review.

Individual response: Students choose from a list of questions provided by the teacher which to respond. They may respond in different formats such as a blog or a podcast.

I decided that I needed to hear/see some examples for inspiration. I was quickly and easily able to locate Math podcasts in iTunes. Overall, I found them interesting, but mostly because I love Math. The podcasts I happened to see had very useful visual aids, however the audio was very dry and monotone. I plan to continue my search, and I am optimistic that I will be able to find a great use for podcasts in my classroom.

Marcia

Source:
Fryer, Wesley A. Tools For Teks: Integrating Technology in the Classroom. Classroom Audio Podcasting.

Now, When You Say "Book", Do You Mean "Paper Book" or "Digital Book"?

Inspired and intrigued by the introduction of Apple's iPad, a colleague raised the question about the possibility of books becoming irrelevant. With new technology oozing from the seams of every major software developer, it's a very interesting question. I actually began to wonder, "What is a book, anyway?"

So, will e-books eventually replace paper books, just as digital music replaced its predecessor the music album? Well, at the risk of sounding very traditional, here are my thoughts on this issue.

Reading is an experience, and there are now as there always have been, a wide swath of reading materials for one to consume. T.V., the Internet and digital media are all threats to the reading industry, however books and bookshops are part of our culture. People like the experience of reading a book, holding a book, smelling a book and being seen with a book, none of which can be replaced by iPod, iPad, or iAnything.

I'm not saying that I think e-books are bad and won’t have an impact. In fact, I believe they will change the future of books as we know them. I think e-publishing has and will continue to massively increase the accessibility and circulation of research and literature. For those who can afford the gadgets, it's easy, convenient, and often cheaper than buying the printed version. Not to mention the environmental benefits of paperless books, and the elimination of transportation of goods. And of course, there are already many classrooms in which every student has their own laptop and all textbooks are digital.

In conclusion, there is no doubt that e-books will change the future of book production and distribution, but I don’t think the “paper book” will be extinct any time soon. Perhaps, one day I will look back on my naivety and laugh! Only time will tell.

Marcia

Choosing Educational Software

Choosing appropriate software for the classroom can be tricky at times. This can be an overwhelming and time consuming task. For me, a lot of consideration must be given to the time it takes to learn and set up the program, and if I need to organize lab time in order to utilize the program effectively. Since lab time in my school can be very challenging to acquire, activities need to be well timed, and predictable in terms of length.

Despite this challenge, I am still able to find many other methods for technology integration through use of the SmartBoard. The SmartBoard allows me to present, simulate, and explore new concepts every day! I often use the SmartBoard as a station in group activities ranging from investigations, to drill and practice games, to enrichment activities. This has allowed me to move away from "technology application days" that were separate from "regular teaching days", to incorporating technology into my everyday teaching.

My starting point is variable. Sometimes I have a specific learning outcome in mind, and choose software that will enhance the process. Other times, I discover new technology or have a specific program in mind, and then try to think of ways that the program will enhance the learning of my students. Wherever the starting point, some other key considerations for me are:

Curriculum Connections
The program should help most students reach the learning goal of the lesson or activity.

Accessibility to students and teachers both at school and at home
If the program is more accessible, there are more opportunities for integration in the way of student practice at home, or for assessments and evaluations.

Audience engagement
The program should appeal to the target audience (students AND teachers). Let's face it, why would teachers make an effort to incorporate technology that they themselves do not enjoy using? Some factors include overall presentation, such as quality graphics, multimedia options, interactive games, and appropriate quantity and quality of text per page.

Reliability
The program needs to function reliably and consistently. Time needed to set up and get program ready for use should be fast and predictable.

Flexible Integration
There are a variety of ways of integrating the software into the classroom. For example, investigation and exploration activities, simulations within lessons, practice and consolidation activities, enrichment or remedial activities, and/or games.

User friendly
This is the most important feature for me. Ease of navigation and use of features is critical for use in the classroom.

Below are some of the programs that I often utilize in my lessons or class activities, and the ways in which they are most commonly used.

Fathom and Excel - For organizing data, creating charts and graphs, analyzing the relationships between variables.
ExploreLearning.com - For simulations, practice and consolidation, investigations, visualizations, and interactive games.
Geometer's Sketchpad - For investigations, simulations, visualizations of abstract concepts, graphing, and designing.
Smart Technologies Notebook software - For presentations, simulations, practice and consolidation, and games.

Marcia

"If Your Kids Are Awake, They're Probably Online"

Here is an interesting article that was passed along to me by a colleague.

Here are some key points:

"Those ages 8 to 18 spend more than seven and a half hours a day with such devices, compared with less than six and a half hours five years ago, when the study was last conducted."

"...it was time to stop arguing over whether it was good or bad and accept it as part of children’s environment"

"The heaviest media users were also more likely than the lightest users to report that they were bored or sad, or that they got into trouble, did not get along well with their parents and were not happy at school."

Marcia

Multimedia Storytelling

Capzles.com can offer a neat way to incorporate multimedia into lessons and/or activities. This is an application that combines photos, videos, music, and documents into a multimedia storyline. It's very easy to use, and I think this would be a great option for an enriched task in classes ranging from gifted-clustered to college level. Although it's fun to make, I don't think it's the most effective way for students to learn Math, however, it could serve as a good review activity and a resource for future classes.

Here's a "time capzle" that I made with lessons from earlier in this semester. I was even able to use my own background music!

Marcia

Wordle

A Wordle is a tool for creating a collage of words from text that you provide. Words that appear more frequently in the source text appear larger and bolder in the Wordle. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share.

Here is a Wordle that I created using the Internet Safety Tips for Teens provided by the OPP.

Source: www.opp.ca

Students and Computer Skills

Last month I was having problems opening "pdf" files on my computer. A helpful student saw my frustration, and asked if they could be of assistance. Two minutes later, problem solved.

I can appreciate the vast knowledge that students seem to innately have when it comes to computers. It is for this reason that I am so surprised to find a lack of skills with relatively basic software such as MS Office. Even my Grade 12 students struggled to use relatively basic features in MS Excel, Word, or PowerPoint. For example, many students are not sure how to manipulate the layout of a word document that includes tables and images, or how to change from "Portrait" to "Landscape". So, why are our students reaching Grade 12 without ever having learned these seemingly basic computer skills? Perhaps, somewhere along the path to classroom technology integration, our students were left behind to figure all this out on their own. It is logical to conclude that a young generation who has used a computer since the age of two will gain these skills naturally over time. I have often thought that students "just know" how to use these programs, however I have learned that this is not an assumption that can or should be made.

Having said that, I can certainly understand if they are unsure how to use a program that they rarely use, such as Excel, but I am amazed at their methods of troubleshooting. When in difficulty, most students prefer to type their problem into YouTube or Google, which of course yields many results. The problem is that the helpful tips they find are for different versions of the program, which makes the advice confusing and hard to follow. I rarely see my students click on the "Help" menu within the program itself before asking me for help.

What I have learned over the past few years is to not assume that students have these skills just because they are a "plugged in" generation. Although they may possess an impressive skill set when it comes to computers, it is still necessary to explicitly teach students how to use common software more effectively, as well as a variety of troubleshooting strategies and the perseverance to learn new programs.

Thanks for reading,

Marcia

Social Networking and Education Part 2

Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Messenger, Blogs ... social networking is everywhere. As an educator, I must ask the question:

Do social networking websites have a place in schools?

Firstly, I feel that students should not be using their personal Facebook and Twitter accounts (and similar sites) during school time, but rather use their time at school in a more educational (or useful) way. I also think that for some students, social networking can be distracting and addictive, which can impede their learning process and progress at school.

However, I do wonder if blocking these sites in the solution. My thinking is that these websites can and are being used in educational ways. For example, Twitter accounts may be created for a particular class, and monitored by the teacher. This has been successfully implemented in Gr. 12 classes at my school, and many students found that they were able to stay up to date with critical information and discussions more easily. The issue as educators becomes finding ways of utilizing these formats while protecting our students.

It seems that despite teachers best efforts to monitor student use of the internet, we are constantly playing "catch up" with new technology. I think that these sites do have a place in education, BUT in a controlled and monitored environment. Recently, our school installed a system that allows teachers to monitor the use of lab computers. We are able to see exactly what the students are doing, and to assume control of the computer when needed. We can also block all internet use, or just allow access to one or two websites. I have found this enormously effective, since the idea of the teacher monitoring their screen discourages most inappropriate use of computers.

Monitoring the use of computers at school is a start, and can easily be enforced during class time, however with more and more students acquiring their own laptops, this becomes much more difficult to do outside of class time. This is why it is critical that students are aware of the potential risks involved with using these sites.

Some risks that we should explicitly teach students about are:

1. Privacy issues
I'm not convinced that all students realize that "nothing you write on the web is completely private" (www.opp.ca). They may think that an E-mail or instant message is completely private, however this is not the case.

2. Consequences of their posts (pictures, videos, gossip, ...)
Students need to realize that once they have posted something on the internet, anyone can access and save this information. Unforeseen consequences may result from irresponsible use of social networking features. Compromising pictures, statements or other postings may not reflect how they want to be seen by the outside world, for example other peer groups, potential employers, family and other members of the community.

Marcia

Social Networking and Education

There are certainly many potentially negative and/or dangerous situations regarding internet use that all internet users, especially young people, are facing.

I say especially young people because according to a study conducted in 2003-2005, "Young Canadians are more connected than ever", with an estimated 94% of young people having access to the internet from home. (1) This has permanently changed how young people network, for better and for worse.

Question: What are educators doing and is it enough?

One way that the school I teach in has tried to raise awareness about cyberbullying and privacy of personal information is via grade wide assemblies. In September 2009, the guidance department in my school thoughtfully arranged a Facebook awareness assembly for each grade. The presentation was given by a parent who learned about Facebook when his teenaged daughter signed up. In his presentation, he explained how Facebook uses the personal information of members, as well as how to protect your privacy.

After the assembly, I asked students what they thought about the presentation. The Grade 12 students in my class gave mixed reviews. Many of them were very interested in finding out how Facebook gains access to information for the list of "Suggested Friends", and many do in fact worry about the privacy of their personal information.

Having said that, most did not find the presentation informative. The real success of the presentation was the class discussion that it sparked upon returning to the classroom. A large assembly is not the most effective forum for these discussions, however it does give a nice introduction to the topic. As educators, it is important to raise awareness about these issues and encourage more dialogue on the part of the students. There needs to be an active and engaging approach in order to motivate students to take steps to protect themselves on the internet.

Thanks for reading,

Marcia


Source:

1. Media Awareness Network. (2009). Young Canadians in a Wired World - Phase II - Key Findings.
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/research/ycww/phaseii/key_findings.cfm

Enhancing Online Lessons and Conferences

Jingproject.com is a very easy to use tool that allows you to upload screen captures and videos to any online conferencing media. I have also posted the link in the Teacher Resources section of my blog. Give it a try, and have fun!

HERE IS A DEMONSTRATION VIDEO that I made to show how Jingproject may be used.

Blogging in the Classroom

In my first week of blogging, I have come to appreciate the benefits of reflective blogging. All week long I've been starting sentences with "My blog" this and "My blog" that, while ending sentences with "I should write about that in my blog". I've realized that the act of blogging, at least for me, is a great tool for reflection.

Here are some ideas I considered while reading the articles "Educational Blogging" by Stephen Downes (1), and "The Educated Blogger: Using Weblogs to Promote Literacy in the Classroom" by David Huffaker (2).


1) Things that surprised me

I was really surprised at the immense size of the blogging community. It was mentioned that in 2004, 3 million Americans had created blogs (Downes, pg. 15). That's ancient time in the world of internet use, imagine what that number is today, then imagine the number world-wide. When you also consider the statistic that 40-50% of those people were under the age of 20 (Huffaker, pg. 92), it's seems logical to assume that there are even more students using blogs today.

These statistics have inspired me to learn how many students in my own classes are using blogs.

2) Things that I like about educational blogging

I really like that blogs offer a format for reflection that may be more appealing and meaningful to students. I often ask students to reflect on the day's lessons, or on the unit that they have just learned. I ask questions like "What do you know really well in the unit? What is still confusing? What was your favourite lesson or activity? What didn't you like about this unit?..." I am lucky to get a response in a complete sentence, let alone an entire paragraph. Perhaps blogging would motivate them to think more about what they have learned, and how they learn.

I also like that students have a "documentation of completed tasks" (Huffaker, pg. 95).

3) Things that concern me about educational blogging

In a virtual world that is constantly changing, will blogging soon lose its novelty? I think that students would initially enjoy the process, but I also think that if overused, students will disengage or become bored.

4) Potential downfall of blogging in the classroom

While it may be true that many students blog, I would not assume that most students like blogging without further research. I think that it is a good option for differentiation in the classroom, however I would also consider that many students may not choose the blog format if presented with options.

Marcia

Sources:

1. Downes, Stephen, (September/October, 2004). "Educational Blogging". Educause, 14 - 26.

2. Huffaker, David, (2005). "The Educated Blogger: Using Weblogs to Promote Literacy in the Classroom". AACE Journal, 13(2), 91-98.

Form the Eyes of the On-line Student

"Technology in the Classroom Part 1" is my first on-line course, and I must admit that it has been an adjustment. Back in 2003, I completed a few distant education courses, and I actually thought to myself, "How different could the on-line format really be? Just add in some E-mailing and discussion forums, and that's it."

What I have realized is how much has changed in the past 7 years. I've always considered myself to have decent computer skills, and was really surprised at how long it took me to figure out how to navigate through the on-line learning website! No longer is mailing in an assignment, or even E-mailing in an assignment, a means of submission. Gone are the days of picking up your course work from the registrar's office at the school of your choice. Everything is truly on-line.

This may seem like a no-brainer to everyone reading this post, but it continues to be a learning experience for me as I begin my first course. It's funny to me that the mere act of signing up for an on-line course has already taught me so much about technology in education. Perfect!

Marcia

Changing Time, Changing Curriculum?

After reading the article "Backup Education?", by Marc Prensky1, I began to reflect on my own view of the curriculum and the changing needs of students. While I do think that the curriculum should change to reflect the needs of modern students, I don't think that deleting the "fundamentals" is the answer. As teachers, our job is not only to teach students what to know, but more importantly how to think. I think it's possible to teach the curriculum while incorporating the use of technology into the lessons.

As a Math teacher, I have heard the questions from students, "Why can't we just use the calculator", and "When am I ever going to use this?" I think that these are valid questions, and sometimes I do agree with them. The danger is that students have begun to trust the calculator screen more than their own logic. For instance, even if they think that their answer doesn’t make sense, they believe it to be true because the calculator said so.

The article also brought to light the rapid increase at which global communication is available. Students are constantly checking their Facebook and Twitter pages, along with many other forms of communication which allow them to quickly access their peers, teachers, and virtually everyone on the internet. I think there is a need to incorporate these forms of communication (safely and effectively) as learning tools. The "basics" can still be taught to students, while teaching them how to use this technology effectively in a new and educational way.

With regards to the changing forms of communication, I was surprised to read the question, "...should we still spend all those years teaching our kids phonics?" (Prensky, pg. 2). I do agree that technology offers alternative and convenient forms of communication, and allows for the transfer of information to a much larger group of people in a very short amount of time. However I do not agree that skills such as reading and writing should be ignored. It would be like saying no one needs to learn how to play music because they can just listen to their Ipod, or program a computer to compose. There are other benefits to reading and writing other than the necessity to transfer information. Building these skills promote brain function, as well as the ability to organize one's thoughts and sort through given information, which are crucial skills for problem-solving. Furthermore, it's important that students learn how to think on their feet, creatively and with their own ideas, without the constant access to information.

In conclusion, the resistance to new technology will eventually be overcome. I can even remember my own high school experience, when Walkmans were strictly forbidden, and cell phones were nowhere to be found. Now, I would have a hard time finding a student who is without their Ipod, Itouch, or cell phone. As a teacher, I cannot ignore these changes, but embrace the opportunity to teach students on new and different levels, and find a way to communicate with students in formats that have become second nature to them.

Marcia

Sources

1. Prensky, Marc, "Backup Education?". Educational Technology, Vol 48 No 1, Jan-Feb. 2008

First Time Blogger

Hello,

Blogging is a new experience for me, and I am delighted to be composing my first post! Initially, I was hesitant about entering the blogging world, however after reading many interesting and thoughtful educational blogs, I am eager to get started with my own. I was pleasantly surprised to find out how easy it is to get started, and how many great resources there are in this format. Below is a short video summarizing the blog of one technologically inclined teacher from New Jersey.

This is my fourth year as a high school Math teacher, and I have always aimed to incorporate effective use of computers and technology whenever I can. I am very fortunate to have a SmartBoard in my classroom, as well as access to a school laptop for my own use. I often make use of other software including Geometer's Sketchpad, Excel, Fathom, and the Virtual TI-83 (a graphing calculator on the computer). Because I have a SmartBoard, I am able to integrate many websites, games and gizmos available on the internet into my lessons.

The use of technology in the classroom is a topic that I have always been interested in, and would like to learn more about. I am excited to begin this course and to research this topic that is nudging teachers to "plug in" and learn how today's youth uses technology.