Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Getting Ready for the New Year
http://specialkindofstupid.com/2008/08/13/ask-kev-tips-for-teachers/#comments
Monday, August 4, 2008
Thing 23
Well I did it!!! I was very worried about completing the course, particularly since I started late and found that most of the Things took a lot longer than I'd anticipated. Please don't take this as a complaint - the more I fiddle and play, the more the information is likely to stick!
Here's my response to the summary questions posted on the site:
1. Favorites - I liked the exercises for Flickr, mashups, online image generators, and podcasts best of all. I have always wanted to become more proficient in these areas and I got a real charge out of creating my own content while taking the course.
2. In an earlier post, I had commented that one of my goals this year was to integrate more technology into my class. This course provided me with the content and practice I need to achieve this goal. In a broader sense, it has also brought me up to speed in many areas that I wouldn't have considered exploring and has provided me with tools that can help me keep current in the future.
3. There were many surprises! Having used the Internet for a variety of things in the past, I knew that it was possible to imbed videos, pictures, etc., but just didn't know how to do it. I had no idea about the great organizing tools available, especially the tagging tools like Delicious, which is going to make me a far more efficient web user. I also didn't know how easy to use many of the web tools would be. I don't think I'll be intimidated again.
4. I'm a huge fan of online learning, having completed most of my certification work in this format. The only suggestion I can make pertains to commenting. I started the course very late in the game (thank you for letting me!) and know that it must have been a daunting task for the captains to comment on all of the participant postings. It was daunting for me to find bloggers I wished to comment upon in the scroll! Perhaps one way around this would be to assign 10 or so bloggers to their very own community of commentators, thus encouraging the connection.
5. I would definitely participate in any additional online courses you would offer, although I would most prefer that they're offered in the summer months. Just thinking about the realities of the school year and the new course I'll be teaching...
6. A great way to familiarize yourself with web 2.0 learning tools - at your own pace and your own place!
Thank you so very much for developing this program. I do think it will change my students' learning experience and my teaching experience for the better.
All the best!
Thing 22
Thing 21
Thing 20
I found lots of great ideas for how I can use student-made videos in my class along with some good ideas for ESL games. Last year, I was given a Flip for Mother's Day. This is a super-easy-to-use camera that downloads videos directly into the computer. I'm planning on using it more frequently this year, and many of the student produced videos gave me good ideas on how to get started. Early on, I will have students work on videos using "Who, What, Where, When, and Why" and then show these to the class. I'll probably have to purchase a few more Flips though. Hope the department budget can support it!
I liked the idea of a news program found in this video:
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Thing 19
The Backpack site seems similar to many of the advanced Google features in one handy location. This site is comparable to office intranets and could be used for departments or disciplines within the larger school setting. Departments could use the site to track their budget and expenses, publish agendas and minutes, and generally keep information organized and accessible.
I was also very impressed to note how well-versed the participants in this class will be on so many of the categories listed on the awards chart. Thanks for that!
Thing 18
I had already registered for GoogleDocs and can think of many ways I can use this feature to improve my personal and professional productivity. Prior to receiving my district laptop, I would often create documents at home and then email them to myself to save on my computer at work. GoogleDocs will allow me to access these documents from any computer. I also will use the collaborative abilities of the site when planning lessons or creating documents with other teachers. Students can edit group research projects through GoogleDocs as well, even if they don't have a personal email account. I plan on using it a lot in about 3 weeks! Yikes - that's soon.....
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Thing 17
My students do a number of research projects throughout the year. In the past, I've linked specific web pages to my school web page and have directed the students to use these sites to find their information. While this controls their content, it also limits their findings. Using Rollyo to achieve the same end will expand their search options with the same result. It will also allow me to leave my tailored searches on the web instead of having to remove them from my website once the project is complete.
Here's the link to my first (rather sketchy) roll:
http://rollyo.com/msmoore60067/esl_3_branches/
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Thing 16
Despite my unfamiliarity with the details, I feel that I have learned so many things over the last week or so that I've been working on the course. I knew that the web could provide many wonderful learning opportunities for students, having been fortunate to visit the classrooms of teachers who successfully apply technology in their classrooms. My goal for the upcoming year was to try and enhance the interest of the curriculum to my students by using available technology whenever possible. I think this course will go a long way towards helping me achieve this goal.
The main benefit of the course to me has been that it has demystified many of the resources available on the web. I have become a huge fan of CommonCraft because they have a great knack for simple, user-friendly explanations. (As an aside, if you haven't watched the CommonCraft Zombie video, it's a hoot!) I think this course buttresses these explanations with useful practice, providing a framework to put the tools into use.
I am currently on a college road trip with my son. As soon as I check into the hotel today, I found a computer, went to my RSS feed to check out what's new, and then logged on here to my "community". I feel like I'm slowly getting connected...and I sure like it!
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Thing 15
At that time, I completed many research papers at the university's extremely large library. I had a pass to go into the stacks, and poking around the books and finding a carrel to settle into was one of my favorite experiences as a student. In some ways, this might have been similar to what students experience today when they do a search on the web, although a lot slower! The excitement of finding information pertaining to your subject, the agony of sifting through mounds of information and trying to form a coherent argument, and the immense satisfaction of completing a cogent, polished product ~ it may be only relevant to a few, but it can be immensely satisfying. In contrast to today, however, the research and work that I did was essentially completed in a vacuum. Until graduate school, there was rarely any collaborative effort whatsoever, with the only exchange being a few notes made on the paper after it had been returned.
When I contrast this with what is possible today, with all of the tools available to learners of all ages, I am humbled by the possibilities. We are certainly faced with many difficult challenges, but we also have ways like never before to share information and innovations. These possibilities extend into the classroom. Will American history ever be relevant to the lives of eighth graders? Maybe not. But, by harnessing the technological tools available we can make the means by which they learn it more relevant and interesting. And if it's something they can discuss in present day terms with their social network? It's probably a lesson they'll remember.
When I finished undergrad, I thought (and hoped) that there must be a better and more satisfying way to learn, something that would approximate the wonderful, expansive feeling that I had when I read a great work of literature or a heard well-reasoned argument. I was lucky to have experiences like this later in my academic career. We all read a lot today about how our schools are driven by the tests and in many cases this is true. But I also think that we can go beyond this by offering students an entirely new format in which to learn. I'm very excited about what this will mean for their learning experience and for how this can give them that same wonderful feeling of poking amongst the dusty stacks and finding that great idea that will make them say "Aha, so this is what it means to be human."
Thing 14
Thing 13
I can also see applications for students, particularly if they are doing research on a particular topic. What a great way to organize web materials.
I have one question? In the Magnolia and Furl tutorials they emphasize that the original content of the web page you tag is preserved. This is critical for me since it is often a specific lesson idea or technique that I wish to return to at a later date. Is the same true for Delicious? Thanks for any response!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Thing 12
The articles and posts about adding comments were informative. I am a "lurker" because I feel that I only have a limited amount of time to read and digest a lot of information and also am a bit of an intimidated newbie. But as these writers point out, this one-way flow of information essentially removes me from the community aspect of blogging. This is something I will have to work on! Commenting on the Learn2Play blogs has been good practice.
I will add more later about interesting blogs I've encountered..... In the meantime, I'm so excited about adding images that I've included a photo of my dog, who is a lurker extraordinaire!
After finishing this post late last night, I did a quick search for blogs pertaining to ESL. I happened upon a post from a new teacher in the area who will be facing some challenges in his classroom this year. It brought home to me the power of the blogging community and the support and help and support we can provide one another through this medium.
Thing 11
I checked out a couple of the groups and think that they would be useful for students who want to find a good read. I doubt that I'd ever participate in one of the group chats, but it's nice to know of another site that has reviews by genre.
Thing 10
Made with free image tools @ TXT2PIC.com
I discovered how to add a picture directly into a post. Hooray! I think these image generators are fantastic and that my English language learners will enjoy using them to write humorous captions.
I also found a way to add cool moving graphics into my blog. I just went to this site: http://www.imagechef.com/ic/blender/ , put in the text changes where necessary and then just filled out the handy upload form to get it in my blog. Our school requires us to update our website on a weekly basis. I now have a way to spice it up a bit. You told us this Thing would be fun - and it was!
Thing 9
After reading many posts from Cool Cat Teacher's blog, I've added it to my Google Reader. There are great motivational tips and practical suggestions on this site. I'm going to start a new notebook with a file for teaching suggestions, which will be a big improvement over the hard-copy file I started last year called "web ideas"!
I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the information and technology that is available. How will I find enough time to sift through all of this and then integrate it into my classroom in a meaningful and effective manner? Once I've made it through all 23 things, I will probably have to step back and select one or two things to do well each 6 week period. I'm concerned that I won't have the technological resources available to make it happen in my classroom. I think I need a grant!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Thing 8
I think it will be great to have all of this information on one page. Once the school year hits, I hope that I'll be able to keep up with all of the posts. I figure I can just add the recipes from Simply Recipes to my recipe notebook. Now if I could only find some way to get those recipes prepared! I think that the RSS feature could be useful in a classroom where students are following current events ~ or in any setting where the most current information or trends is a necessity.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Thing 7
After years of using Epicurious and Simply Recipes and any other odds and ends I've found on the web, I started my very own recipe notebook, complete with keywords for sorting. Once I've cleaned out all my closets, I might even add in the overflowing plastic file folder in my kitchen with all of my recipe clippings..... What fun.
I also experimented with Google docs, uploading lesson plans from last year. Next year I will be teaching a language arts section in addition to my ESL duties. Preparing the lessons will be a collaborative process between several teachers, and I think that the document sharing and modifying capabilities could be a big time saver for all participants. Great stuff.
Thing 6
I also teach ESL social studies. The trading cards would be great for famous people or events. Last year, we did group projects on the three branches of government. Mosaic maker would be a great way to display the images for their particular branch. At the end of the year, each student did a Powerpoint presentation on a famous person - I'll have to play around with using Flickr in conjunction with Powerpoint although I imagine it wouldn't be difficult to add Flickr images to a presentation.
I do have one concern: in looking around, I noticed a page that searches for "sexy images" on Flickr. Is there some way to block such searches or will the district filters prevent such images from showing on student screens?
Monday, July 21, 2008
Thing 5
Last year my students wrote some amazing stories about their journeys to the U.S. They included pictures that represented their homeland and their new home in the U.S. that they found on the web. I hadn't given much thought to teaching them about copyright restrictions and the like. Using Flickr will help educate them about proper usage and make sure that we aren't somehow using images improperly.
I've selected the image of "no ESL" because I find it sad that some people feel negatively about ESL (even though the photo was actually of an "environmentally sensitive landscape"). The other image is of the main plaza in Mexico City and is similar to the type of photos my students have used to illustrate their narratives.
Thing 3
My students kept written journals last year. It would be so great if we could do this as an online activity and they could read and comment on each other's postings. Very cool!
Thing 2
I enjoyed the synopsis of the Covey article. With the myriad of concerns we face today, I think it's imperative that people cultivate the life-long learner within themselves. For me, the biggest challenge is in the area of technology. I have a tendency to remain static in this area unless I'm forced to learn a new skill for work. I'm taking this course in hopes of improving in this area since my students will benefit from a more technologically advanced curriculum. I've been fortunate to have opportunities to Iearn in many different settings. This has given me confidence to try new things, both at work and at play.