Loved watching the video about 'Creative Commons' and learning about the different licenses. I want to share this with my class - spent some times looking for kid friendly lessons to use with my class, but didn't find any. So I will keep looking or create my own.
After watching the video I think I need to clarify my view point on 'who owns the information on the web' - though I believe we all own it - by that I mean it is put on the web for our use, not for us to claim it as our own creation.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Field Study checking
I should be in panic mode right now. I have not gotten very far in my field study. It took over a month to get my students all onto my website and the wiki, so last week we finally did our first assignment on line. Even though I have not gotten very far into my field study I am loving using my website and the wiki. We have been integrating technology in so many ways.
The goal of my field study is to use peer feedback (through the wiki) to improve our writing. Unfortunately, we have only had one opportunity to do this. I want to do more . . . I don't want to just give the students an assignment to complete my field study - I want it to be valid.
The goal of my field study is to use peer feedback (through the wiki) to improve our writing. Unfortunately, we have only had one opportunity to do this. I want to do more . . . I don't want to just give the students an assignment to complete my field study - I want it to be valid.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Big Questions
How do we help our students effectively gather, synthesize and transform information using digital resources?
Researching using the internet is hard for students, there is just too much information that is not at their reading level. Learning how to research, what key words or phrases to put into the search engines is a whole process in itself - let alone learning how to pull key facts from that information and not just copy and paste. I do a lot of modeling of how to pull important information. We start with me talking through my thinking process for the first activity and then during the second time do the process again as a whole class. Then the students work through an assignment on their own. If the project lends itself to it I post or link websites that I want the students to use.
Who owns the information on the web? - we all do but we need to cite our sources and not claim it as our own. Everyone 'owns' it, but how we use it is important and becomes part of the teaching process about digital citizenship. I have read some articles that specifically discuss Wikis and how people who create wikis and invite others to edit it have to come to terms with the idea that we all in a sense own it. But I will say it again - when we take something off the web we need to cite our sources, we cannot claim that we 'thought' up that information, like using a textbook. We see it as different though because it is so fluid, as opposed to a textbook which is set in stone - printed, published, etc. We do need to be responsible - we need to look at what we are finding, why it was posted - the purpose, and use it ethically.
What resources can I use and how can I use them in a wired classroom?
so many resources on the internet as well as using projectors, SmartBoard, cameras, etc.
What I am still looking for is great leveled material about one topic - material that my ESL students can understand, and material about the same topic that my students at grade level can understand and be challenged by.
Researching using the internet is hard for students, there is just too much information that is not at their reading level. Learning how to research, what key words or phrases to put into the search engines is a whole process in itself - let alone learning how to pull key facts from that information and not just copy and paste. I do a lot of modeling of how to pull important information. We start with me talking through my thinking process for the first activity and then during the second time do the process again as a whole class. Then the students work through an assignment on their own. If the project lends itself to it I post or link websites that I want the students to use.
Who owns the information on the web? - we all do but we need to cite our sources and not claim it as our own. Everyone 'owns' it, but how we use it is important and becomes part of the teaching process about digital citizenship. I have read some articles that specifically discuss Wikis and how people who create wikis and invite others to edit it have to come to terms with the idea that we all in a sense own it. But I will say it again - when we take something off the web we need to cite our sources, we cannot claim that we 'thought' up that information, like using a textbook. We see it as different though because it is so fluid, as opposed to a textbook which is set in stone - printed, published, etc. We do need to be responsible - we need to look at what we are finding, why it was posted - the purpose, and use it ethically.
What resources can I use and how can I use them in a wired classroom?
so many resources on the internet as well as using projectors, SmartBoard, cameras, etc.
What I am still looking for is great leveled material about one topic - material that my ESL students can understand, and material about the same topic that my students at grade level can understand and be challenged by.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
the unexpected
When I created my new website at the beginning of the school year on webs.com I never imagined some of the results. I set out to use the 'wiki' to have students not only collaborate, but also provide feedback on our writing to make us better writers. Well . . . because the wiki requires members, and the web site allows for comments, 'blogging', the students have created a classroom community on line. They not only communicate with each other, but have emailed me more and posted comments to me regarding homework, errors in the calendar or just to let me know if they are coming in early to work. Without prompting, they went to the Forums page and started to comment on a discussion I posted. I was just getting ready for the next week, and some students noticed it on the weekend and started to add their voice. I am loving the positive energy this website is creating. A safe place for my class to 'chat' with each other - about school, about other kid stuff. If you had asked me about this at the beginning of the year I would have said that I would discourage the use of the website for this use, but now after I see some of the results - what can I say. I don't think it would have work as well if I had tried to make this online community happen. Then again who knows.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Popular Culture in the Classroom?
Should we use popular culture in the classroom - why or why not?
For students to connect to what they are learning and engage in learning they need to be interested in the subject. So if it is relevant or can be made relevant I think that yes we should use popular culture in the classroom. Unfortunately my knowledge about what the students listen too or think is popular is limited and I would need to educate myself or have the students educate me before I could use it in the classroom. I find that students who say they don't remember information that has been taught, have no problem giving me a blow by blow account of the games they play on the computer or stats for sports players, or all the words of the songs they like. If teachers can tap and make what they are interested in relevant to the classroom - make learning meaningful - we should. This does mean throw out the curriculum - it means extend it. Of course we need to preview what we show the students and have a purpose behind it - to educate.
After - Katy Perry and Sesame Street
I still think using popular culture in the classroom can be educational and engaging - again what is the purpose for bringing it in, and yes we should teach students to think about what they see and read. The purpose behind the media - if it is a commercial - discuss the techniques of advertising, if it is a newspaper article discuss the reporters bias, the readers bias, etc. Teachable moments. They are exposed to a lot of information, our job is to educate them to think about the information. Even our textbooks are biased, from the writers point of view, websites are biased, we bring our life experiences into what we do. We need to teach the skills of being critical thinkers.
For students to connect to what they are learning and engage in learning they need to be interested in the subject. So if it is relevant or can be made relevant I think that yes we should use popular culture in the classroom. Unfortunately my knowledge about what the students listen too or think is popular is limited and I would need to educate myself or have the students educate me before I could use it in the classroom. I find that students who say they don't remember information that has been taught, have no problem giving me a blow by blow account of the games they play on the computer or stats for sports players, or all the words of the songs they like. If teachers can tap and make what they are interested in relevant to the classroom - make learning meaningful - we should. This does mean throw out the curriculum - it means extend it. Of course we need to preview what we show the students and have a purpose behind it - to educate.
After - Katy Perry and Sesame Street
I still think using popular culture in the classroom can be educational and engaging - again what is the purpose for bringing it in, and yes we should teach students to think about what they see and read. The purpose behind the media - if it is a commercial - discuss the techniques of advertising, if it is a newspaper article discuss the reporters bias, the readers bias, etc. Teachable moments. They are exposed to a lot of information, our job is to educate them to think about the information. Even our textbooks are biased, from the writers point of view, websites are biased, we bring our life experiences into what we do. We need to teach the skills of being critical thinkers.
Wiki, wiki, wiki
Today I had 13 of my students sign up to be apart of the classroom wiki. This was suppose to be a quick thing and then they were to move on to the next part of the assignment. But I forgot how much fun it is to play - adding a picture, chatting with friends via the members page - even though the friends are right next to you. The students who didn't yet have an email address to sign up were disappointed and felt left out.
Learning experience - next time I will make sure to get the district emails earlier so that all the students can sign up at the same time on the same day.
As to having to repeat the instructions 3, 4, 10 times - well kids are kids - even if I outlined it on a sheet or did it step by step I would still have some that do not fully listen:)
Learning experience - next time I will make sure to get the district emails earlier so that all the students can sign up at the same time on the same day.
As to having to repeat the instructions 3, 4, 10 times - well kids are kids - even if I outlined it on a sheet or did it step by step I would still have some that do not fully listen:)
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Literacies
My field study is about using Wikis as a place to display our work - whatever that work is, have students provide feedback on that work with the hopes that students will be able to take that feedback and become better communicators through it. Wikis are a place to collaborate together; provide feedback on each others work. Work doesn't have to be just writing - it could be video, photos, etc. Multi-literacies. Being able to communicate what one has learned is important - in what ever format that looks like. Literacy is more than just being able to read and write, it goes beyond that in the 21st century. Being able to understand, communicate, interpret, create, identify and compute more than just printed materials.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Myths about Technology
As I read the 5 myths about technology and all the stats I again am left with the question - what about Canada, what are the stats on technology use in our country? Why are we so far behind in publishing information?
As to whether I have those same assumptions listed in the article, "21st-Century Literacies", I really don't. 21-century literacy is not only about technology, the digital divide is not conquered just because schools have computers and internet, you don't need to be an expert to effectively use technology in instruction, and those who use technology in their personal lives don't necessarily use it in the classroom. I find that as I am learning the technology, I am better able to explain it to the students and they are great teachers. I also feel that computers and internet in the schools doesn't mean they are being used, or used well. I find that a lot of teachers use the computers to teach only typing skills or play games - that does not equal closing digital divide. Just some quick thoughts. . . .
As to whether I have those same assumptions listed in the article, "21st-Century Literacies", I really don't. 21-century literacy is not only about technology, the digital divide is not conquered just because schools have computers and internet, you don't need to be an expert to effectively use technology in instruction, and those who use technology in their personal lives don't necessarily use it in the classroom. I find that as I am learning the technology, I am better able to explain it to the students and they are great teachers. I also feel that computers and internet in the schools doesn't mean they are being used, or used well. I find that a lot of teachers use the computers to teach only typing skills or play games - that does not equal closing digital divide. Just some quick thoughts. . . .
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Learning Statement Number 2
In these past two weeks we have been very busy, between learning to be part of an online learning community and learning about new online technology. So my second learning statement comes from the latter. I am learning to use, and evaluate emerging technologies. In the fall I hope to add to that learning statement and take those technologies into my practice, but for now I am learning to use them. This learning statement relates to capacity number 3: use, evaluate, and integrate existing and emerging technologies into your practice.
In terms of evidence on learning about new technology, I have added the links to my delicious account, my own reflections on the technology and I have signed up for some of the new technologies like Audio boxes. I have also explored styks.com an animation tool for creating stick figure animation. We have spend time each day on 'tech tapas', sharing with each other websites and tools that we have found. This has been incredibly useful. Most of the sites or tools my fellow colleagues used in their practice, and are sharing what they have found useful. We have also had the opportunity to evaluate education sites that may be useful especially if we are trying to find a colleague to connect to else where in the world. What a world of knowledge out there.
In terms of evidence on learning about new technology, I have added the links to my delicious account, my own reflections on the technology and I have signed up for some of the new technologies like Audio boxes. I have also explored styks.com an animation tool for creating stick figure animation. We have spend time each day on 'tech tapas', sharing with each other websites and tools that we have found. This has been incredibly useful. Most of the sites or tools my fellow colleagues used in their practice, and are sharing what they have found useful. We have also had the opportunity to evaluate education sites that may be useful especially if we are trying to find a colleague to connect to else where in the world. What a world of knowledge out there.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Project Based Learning Sounds good, but . . .
When learning and seeing it in action on the video it sound really good. I just wonder if it would work across the board. Introduction to Project Based Learning article has some very valid arguments for PBL; collaboration, tools and skills, performance-based assessment, authentic learning connected to real world issues. All good. As a elementary school teacher it would work, it is like across-curricular projects. Some of our curriculum lends itself well to this approach. I still worry about the time and the resources and different learning styles. Is this another band-aid approach to the education system - like moving from Phonemic Awareness to Whole Language learning? Is there one solution to upgrading the education system to make learning relevant to the 21st-century? The idea behind PBL is exciting to me as a teacher, I start thinking about what I teach and how I could do this and maybe have done this already, but do I want it to be mandated as the way we will now about teaching - no. And the reality is with the amount of curriculum we are suppose to cover I don’t see how this is possible. The article mentions “. . . making deliberate decisions about topics that you want to teach in depth versus topics that can be simple ‘covered.’” What about those students who need more time on some of those ‘simply covered’ topics - we want to shoot for excellence and mastery do we not?
Monday, August 23, 2010
Curriculum and Technology
“In short, the theory and practice of technology integration need to be inextricably connected to the process and products of curriculum development.” (Rethinking Technology in Schools, Domine, p.99)
You can’t separate them, the process and products of curriculum development and the integration of technology. They need to be linked. Especially in our education system which is curriculum driven. Technology isn’t suppose to be thrown in haphazardly, just to be able to say - “look I am using technology in my classroom!”, but it should be intentional and connected to the process and products of curriculum development.
What this means to me - in a nut shell - plan what I am going to teach first, what are my goals for my students, what do I want them to learn, what knowledge and skills do I want them to gain and then look at where technology can support this process of learning. Though I find that sometimes I get caught up in the ‘toys’, there are some very interesting technology tools out there which are fun to play with and introduce my students to it. But as our professor continually reminds us - Pedagogy first!
You can’t separate them, the process and products of curriculum development and the integration of technology. They need to be linked. Especially in our education system which is curriculum driven. Technology isn’t suppose to be thrown in haphazardly, just to be able to say - “look I am using technology in my classroom!”, but it should be intentional and connected to the process and products of curriculum development.
What this means to me - in a nut shell - plan what I am going to teach first, what are my goals for my students, what do I want them to learn, what knowledge and skills do I want them to gain and then look at where technology can support this process of learning. Though I find that sometimes I get caught up in the ‘toys’, there are some very interesting technology tools out there which are fun to play with and introduce my students to it. But as our professor continually reminds us - Pedagogy first!
Friday, August 20, 2010
The irony of it all
This week in my course work I have been learning about online PLN's. For our portfolio at the end of these two courses we need to create learning statements. One of my learning statements is that I am learning to participate in and appreciate what it means to be part of an online Professional Learning Network (global network community). This relates to program capacity 5: assess, evaluate, use and participate in new media interactions in education. Up until this week I have not seen the value in going online, reading and commenting about what others say about education and technology. Or even putting ideas or questions out there to the education community. Don't get me wrong, what people have to say and put out there online is important there are some interesting opinions and theories out there, but I did not see how it would help me, or why I should spend time searching for them. I also didn't think I could contribute to it or had worth while ideas to share. Though I believe in being a life long learner, I did not see how spending time on the internet reading others opinions was useful. I realize this is very ironic. I am an educator, I tell my students to be open minded about learning, yet I have been very against things like twitter. But as I am 'forced' to try new things in this course and leave my comfort zone, I have been forced to confront my own assumptions once more and my own 'road blocks' to my own learning. We were encouraged to ask an online learning community about technology related to a specific curriculum goal, so I went on to Classroom 2.0 and put out a query, low and behold someone responded and gave me some great ideas. Where does this leave me - needing to re-evaluate my thoughts/assumptions on technology and education and learn to keep an open mind - make my technology box bigger.
Assessment - important or not
In my LTT course we have been discuss assessment in education and evaluating other peoples blogs/website and their opinions on assessment. I have to say I do not agree with Gary Stager in his statement that assessment is an interruption to learning. Assessment is there to inform both the teacher and the students about learning. Chris's statement of assessment as mentoring is powerful.
Assessment can be a powerful instructive tool for students. It becomes even more powerful with the students are involved in it in some way. Last year I had my class assess each others writing, I had them read another classmates essay, and assess whether the classmate had included the criteria I had set out at the beginning. I watched my students have 'ah ha' moments, and even before they were given their own essays back realize what they had missed. It was empowering for them and me.
Assessment can be a powerful instructive tool for students. It becomes even more powerful with the students are involved in it in some way. Last year I had my class assess each others writing, I had them read another classmates essay, and assess whether the classmate had included the criteria I had set out at the beginning. I watched my students have 'ah ha' moments, and even before they were given their own essays back realize what they had missed. It was empowering for them and me.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Personal Learning Networks
Over the past two days we have been exploring Twitter and various websites that might support our own learning. I am starting to feel a bit overwhelmed again about how much is out there. Just trying to find out 'who to follow' on Twitter is a job and a half. And then once you choose someone to follow they post websites that might be useful and then you find yourself checking those out, which inevitably leads me to another site and someone else to follow and more educational opinions to read about. As I said a bit overwhelming.
I find that trying to create my own personal learning network is harder or maybe easier than I expected. Finding relevant education sites and people to follow is easy - there are so many, but finding the time and patience to read through everything is hard, and then taking the time to process it and incorporate it into my own evolving educational beliefs. More and more I am seeing the value of creating a personal learning network, and hopefully I will soon feel brave enough to join the discussions. I have joined Classroom 2.0, and signed up to be apart of 'The Tomatosphere" Project, and think I will join the educators PLN. Collaboration is important, I encourage my students to work together. I need to do the same.
I find that trying to create my own personal learning network is harder or maybe easier than I expected. Finding relevant education sites and people to follow is easy - there are so many, but finding the time and patience to read through everything is hard, and then taking the time to process it and incorporate it into my own evolving educational beliefs. More and more I am seeing the value of creating a personal learning network, and hopefully I will soon feel brave enough to join the discussions. I have joined Classroom 2.0, and signed up to be apart of 'The Tomatosphere" Project, and think I will join the educators PLN. Collaboration is important, I encourage my students to work together. I need to do the same.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Knowledge . . . Education . . .Technology
Why content? Technology uses across the content areas? Across the grades? Our education system?
While I was reading Gilbert's article, Knowledge, the disciplines, and learning in the Digital Age, I kept thinking that if we could do it all over again . . . if we could recreate the educational system today what would the education system look like? Our educational system needs a change, it feels like we are so content driven that we lose sight of purpose of education. Content is important, but also the process of getting there, the skills, problem solving, social interaction, etc. Technology across the grades and content areas can be used to explore, manipulate, present, analyze the content in dynamic ways. Technology enhances the educational process and opens up the world. Gilbert says that knowledge is constructed collaboratively, what better way to do this than the the medium of technology.
While I was reading Gilbert's article, Knowledge, the disciplines, and learning in the Digital Age, I kept thinking that if we could do it all over again . . . if we could recreate the educational system today what would the education system look like? Our educational system needs a change, it feels like we are so content driven that we lose sight of purpose of education. Content is important, but also the process of getting there, the skills, problem solving, social interaction, etc. Technology across the grades and content areas can be used to explore, manipulate, present, analyze the content in dynamic ways. Technology enhances the educational process and opens up the world. Gilbert says that knowledge is constructed collaboratively, what better way to do this than the the medium of technology.
The Program Capacities - My Goal
Capacity number 5: Access, evaluate, use and participate in new media interactions in education.
This is the hardest one for me to wrap my mind around and to stretch myself to do. It is going beyond my comfort zone to comment on someones blog or join in an eluminate session. I think that I have nothing worth while to contribute or say. Though I believe that the global perspective is important and I find it worth while to read other peoples articles, and comments and I will need to join in. If knowledge is built together through conversation, than I need to get involved.
Monday, August 16, 2010
A Goal for September 2010
From the ISTE standards one goal I have chosen to focus on this next semester is to advocate, model, and teach safe, legal and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources. For my teaching practice I believe this is an important part of the curriculum and an important skill for the students to learn. With the Internet everything is available at our finger tips, ‘just Google it’ is a common phrase in the classroom. Last year, with my grade 6 class, I tried to do a research project just using the books in the library. I had to relent when I realized that the library did not have the resources available. So the students need to learn to use the Internet appropriately - not just copy and paste and then change one or two words. Even though I teach this and proper note taking, with the use of the computer it is just to tempting to students to take short cuts - so I feel I need to be more proactive.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Crap Detection - Response
Teaching our children to think critically about what they find on the internet, how to ask the right question when doing a search, to help and teach the students to build 'personal trust' networks. What implications does this have in my practice? A lot. . . it is taking it one step further, moving from textbooks, which are ministry approved resources to trying to teach the students to filter all the information they can find on the internet. As Howard Rheingol' vlog post indicates it is important to teach the children to detect all the crap out there. All ready in the intermediate classrooms we are having to do this every time we assign a research project.
I attempted to limit my students on an essay to strictly finding their information from non-fiction books, unfortunately my school library did not have everything we were looking for and I had to relent and let the students use the internet. I was trying to teach them to take notes without the temptation of copy and paste that is so readily accessible on the computer. So much for that idea - then I tried to limit them to World Book Student website, but it also didn't have enough information. In the end we used a variety of websites and I had to continually remind them that wikianswers is not a creditable source. So all that to say it is extremely important to teach the students how to search and how to sift through what they find and we only have 5 hours in a day in which to get all this done!
I attempted to limit my students on an essay to strictly finding their information from non-fiction books, unfortunately my school library did not have everything we were looking for and I had to relent and let the students use the internet. I was trying to teach them to take notes without the temptation of copy and paste that is so readily accessible on the computer. So much for that idea - then I tried to limit them to World Book Student website, but it also didn't have enough information. In the end we used a variety of websites and I had to continually remind them that wikianswers is not a creditable source. So all that to say it is extremely important to teach the students how to search and how to sift through what they find and we only have 5 hours in a day in which to get all this done!
Networks and learning . . .
If I think about my classroom and when learning takes place with my students, some of the most significant learning is through discussion, when we are pulling apart ideas and together constructing knowledge. The students in the classroom act as a networked environment and knowledge and meaning change as we discuss, read, and explore different topics. The internet has opened up a whole new networked environment that we can tap into. We have at our finger tips a vast resource of information and opinions in which to explore our environment and construct knowledge from this. My struggle is how to incorporate this into my teaching in an effective way and how to teach my students to not take everything they read on the internet at face value as 'fact' but to look at the information critically, to question it.
If I think about my classroom and when learning takes place with my students, some of the most significant learning is through discussion, when we are pulling apart ideas and together constructing knowledge. The students in the classroom act as a networked environment and knowledge and meaning change as we discuss, read, and explore different topics. The internet has opened up a whole new networked environment that we can tap into. We have at our finger tips a vast resource of information and opinions in which to explore our environment and construct knowledge from this. My struggle is how to incorporate this into my teaching in an effective way and how to teach my students to not take everything they read on the internet at face value as 'fact' but to look at the information critically, to question it.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Differentiated Learning . . .
Differentiated Instruction or Differentiated Learning seems to be a catch phrase in education today. Meeting the needs of all learners. I am attempting this in my classroom, but in baby steps. I have 'differentiated' in how students are allowed to display their learning in Math - one student created a Youtube video, some used Jing and word processing, others made a video and others used kidpix. But as I continue on in this process I am wondering if I am truly differentiating. Is giving students a choice in how they demonstrate their learning differentiation?
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