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?
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