A) I will use the technology tools learned in these "Things" in many ways.
In the area of Productivity Tools, I have always used tools like Google Docs and the Google Calendar. However, the Zamzar media converter was new to me and I like it. In the past, I have use an array of different tools to make the conversions that I needed to make, but I find this tool to be much less messy than some of those options. Also, I think that students will find this tool useful too. I know that our video classes occassionally have a need for a tool such as this.
In the area of Professional Learning Networks, I have expanded my horizons a little. I have not used the Macul Space much in the past, but it does have some good information in the Forum area and it seems like a nice place to ask questions as well. Additionally, I have never really seen a use for Twitter until now. I now know how useful it can be for sharing professional information and keeping up to date on new educational tools. I will be using it to follow other professionals in the future.
Along this same line, I found the information about RSS feeds and other tools to stay informed very useful. Though I have worked with them in the past, I have not used all the tools in iGoogle and the Google Reader before.
In this unit I found the online databases like MEL and the information about Online Learning to be useful. Though I have heard of MEL before, I often forget about it as a resource and it does have some great information. Also, I think that Online Learning is going to be a key type of education in the future. I plan to do some collaboration with other schools in the future.
Lastly, I think that Visual Organizers and Screencasting are great ways to teaching students. I know that I always find learning easier if I can see an example of what is being discussed or if the information being discussed is presented in a logical format. Tools like Gliffy or Bubbl.us are great for organizing information. Also, tools like Jing, Camtasia, or Screecast-o-Matic are great for walking someone through a topic or process. I think they are both great ways of teaching information.
B) Many of the key teaching and learning strategies explained by Marzano are addressed in these "Things".
I find that in addition to teaching students to analyze questions, cues, and graphic organizers, tools like Gliffy are great for analyzing similarities and differences. The logical structure and formatting tools allow users to compare information very easily. These tools are also great for Non-Linguistic Learning.
Screencasting is also a great way to increase value in Homework and Practice. By giving students the ability to watch and rewatch good information at home, it increases their ability to understand the material. Furthermore, it gives teachers' new possibilities like "flipping the classroom".
Virtual classrooms and Professional Learning Networks also help to get at the topic of Incorporating Cooperative Learning Effectively. Students now have the capabilities to learn with other students outside of their school's walls. Also, teachers have the same possibility of cooperating and learning online from other educators through the use of PLN's like MaculSpace, Twitter, etc. Virtual classrooms and professional learning networks are also great places for both students and educators to Set Objectives and Provide Feedback.
I feel that the tools in the section are great for 21st Century Learning and they will only become more and more essential as we move forward with online learning.
C) One of the "Things" that from this section that I am going to use in the future is iGoogle, Google Reader, and Blogger. I have decided that for a Computer Essentials class that I teach, I am going to use these tools in the future. Currently, I am using Google Docs as both a collection and collaboration tool, but I think that I want to branch out into some of the other products which are easily found within Google. I would like to have students use the iGoogle page as more of a home base for working within Google. I figure that if I teach them to use the connected tools within iGoogle for class, they might also find them useful for their personal and future professional lives. Next year, I plan to have my students submit work to Blogger similar to what we are doing in this class. Also, I am going to incorporate the use of the Google Reader to have students customize their iGoogle with RSS feeds.
These changes to my current class will also help to meet the following MI Technology Standards
9-12.CC.1 (identifying various collaboration technologies and describe their use) and 9-12.CC.2 (using available technologies to communicate with others on a class assignment or project) By using a blog for classroom activities students will both learn their definition and useage while at the same time learn how to use them for collaboration.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Thing 21 - Screencasting
1. For my Screencasting lesson I will be explaining how to use the Creative Commons to add a license to a website.
2. I sent the link to this screencast to the other computer teacher in my building because I was sharing some information about the Creative Commons with them about a week ago and they were interested in using it for their classes as well.
3. The screencast that I created can be found at this link: http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cXhj0dbyG
I found the Screencast-o-Matic tool to be a very easy tool to work with. I have used Camtasia and Jing in the past and both of these tools work very well for this same process, but I figured it would be fun to try something new. In working with Screencast-o-Matic I had no problem with creating the recording or using the website; however, I do think that using the 2 button keyboard combinations to pause and end the screencast can be a little clunky when you are trying to end your screencast or pause it quickly.
I feel like screencasts can be very useful tools for teachers and students because they allow the viewer to watch a process over and over again at any time. Though I do not always love recording myself and creating videos, I am getting more and more comfortable with the process. Ultimately, I think I have learned not to be quite so picky with my final product. I used to get hung up with trying to create the perfect video with not fumbling or mistakes, but that can become very time-consuming and sometimes I think it is alright to have students or teachers to watch you make a bumble or two on the screen.
As far as feedback for my video went, the other teacher at my school thought that it looked good. There were a couple of points where I referred to what I was doing and you could not see it on the screen because I was using keyboard commands and she thought that maybe I could explain that in the video so that the user can understand how those processes were occurring (example: copying text by using Ctrl C) Other than that one critique, I felt like my video turned out all-right.
I will continue to create more screencasts in the future. I like to use them for showing processes for both student and teacher learning. Our school will be using an updated version of a teacher gradebook next year and I am certain that I will make a screencast for showing teachers how to setup that gradebook and work with it. There are also simple things like installing printers, navigating the network, etc. that often raise questions that could easily be answered with a screencast. In the future I also hope to do more with using video lessons as homework. I would like to try to flip the classroom on some occasions and see how that goes.
2. I sent the link to this screencast to the other computer teacher in my building because I was sharing some information about the Creative Commons with them about a week ago and they were interested in using it for their classes as well.
3. The screencast that I created can be found at this link: http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cXhj0dbyG
I found the Screencast-o-Matic tool to be a very easy tool to work with. I have used Camtasia and Jing in the past and both of these tools work very well for this same process, but I figured it would be fun to try something new. In working with Screencast-o-Matic I had no problem with creating the recording or using the website; however, I do think that using the 2 button keyboard combinations to pause and end the screencast can be a little clunky when you are trying to end your screencast or pause it quickly.
I feel like screencasts can be very useful tools for teachers and students because they allow the viewer to watch a process over and over again at any time. Though I do not always love recording myself and creating videos, I am getting more and more comfortable with the process. Ultimately, I think I have learned not to be quite so picky with my final product. I used to get hung up with trying to create the perfect video with not fumbling or mistakes, but that can become very time-consuming and sometimes I think it is alright to have students or teachers to watch you make a bumble or two on the screen.
As far as feedback for my video went, the other teacher at my school thought that it looked good. There were a couple of points where I referred to what I was doing and you could not see it on the screen because I was using keyboard commands and she thought that maybe I could explain that in the video so that the user can understand how those processes were occurring (example: copying text by using Ctrl C) Other than that one critique, I felt like my video turned out all-right.
I will continue to create more screencasts in the future. I like to use them for showing processes for both student and teacher learning. Our school will be using an updated version of a teacher gradebook next year and I am certain that I will make a screencast for showing teachers how to setup that gradebook and work with it. There are also simple things like installing printers, navigating the network, etc. that often raise questions that could easily be answered with a screencast. In the future I also hope to do more with using video lessons as homework. I would like to try to flip the classroom on some occasions and see how that goes.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Thing 20 - Visual Learning
1. Below is a visual example of a computer programming flowchart which was created in Gliffy.
2. Below is a screenshot of a Word Cloud created in Tagxedo.
3. Visual diagrams and graphic organizers are very useful in education. As research suggests, non-linguistic representation is a key to student learning. Tools like Bubbl.us and Gliffy are great for producing your own graphic organizers. These visuals can be effective tools for presenting information to students. Also, having students create their own graphic representations can be a great way to have students learn a concept or understand a process. Through the creation of their own visual representation students often have to sythesize the information and deduce the proper way to show the topic of study, thus learning in the process.
Tools like Wordle and Tagxedo are also interesting tools. By entering words into the tool, the user can then visualize either those same words or similar words in a "word cloud" on the screen. These tools allow students to manipulate the look of the processed data in several ways. For example, Wordle allows the user to study word origins by eliminating words of a chosen origin from the screen. Tagxedo allows users to build word clouds in the shape of chosen objects or designs. I believe that both of these programs can be used in the study of words and language. Additionally, they can both be used as an expression of art or information as well. For example, I have seen students that have used word clouds as a backdrop for a student broadcast. As you can see, both Wordle and Tagxedo have a wide range of fun and potentially educational uses.
2. Below is a screenshot of a Word Cloud created in Tagxedo.
3. Visual diagrams and graphic organizers are very useful in education. As research suggests, non-linguistic representation is a key to student learning. Tools like Bubbl.us and Gliffy are great for producing your own graphic organizers. These visuals can be effective tools for presenting information to students. Also, having students create their own graphic representations can be a great way to have students learn a concept or understand a process. Through the creation of their own visual representation students often have to sythesize the information and deduce the proper way to show the topic of study, thus learning in the process.
Tools like Wordle and Tagxedo are also interesting tools. By entering words into the tool, the user can then visualize either those same words or similar words in a "word cloud" on the screen. These tools allow students to manipulate the look of the processed data in several ways. For example, Wordle allows the user to study word origins by eliminating words of a chosen origin from the screen. Tagxedo allows users to build word clouds in the shape of chosen objects or designs. I believe that both of these programs can be used in the study of words and language. Additionally, they can both be used as an expression of art or information as well. For example, I have seen students that have used word clouds as a backdrop for a student broadcast. As you can see, both Wordle and Tagxedo have a wide range of fun and potentially educational uses.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Thing 19 - Virtual Classrooms
1. I have been working on extending my classroom beyond just the walls of my room. Over the years I have continued to make progress in this area. First, I started out by placing my classroom materials online for students. I currently use Blackboard to connect students to the materials. Next, I began to use collaborative projects within my classes with shared resources like Google Docs. From that point I began to have students collaborate with other classes within my building. However, I now think that I need to widen the scope to outside our building, our state, or even the country.
Next year I plan to create a project in which my classes collaborate with another school somewhere around the world. I am not sure what the project will look like just yet because our class offerings and my preps change quite a bit from year to year, but I am sure that I can either design a project or sign up for a project that is posted either on the Skype for Education site, CapSpace, or some similar site.
In the past I have done collaborative projects where one class in our building would write a script and create storyboards for a video and then another class would film and produce the video. I am thinking that this would be a cool project if I had our students and students from another school swap scripts and then produce each others' videos. Then each group could view the results of the project that they created together. This project would allow students to collaborate, work with content area, and achieve several National Standards. Specifically, this project would cover the Communication and Collaboration Standards (NETS: 2a,2b,2c,2d) through the collaboration of teams, development of cultural understanding and global awareness, and the completion of a digital media project.
2. For students to be successful in an online learning environment there must be support measures in place. First off, students will need to be able to get connected to course materials. Therefore, they will need a computer, internet access, and possibly even access to the school network from home. Second, students will need a good support team. They will need information about the courses. Counselors will need to explain the course expectations, how the courses are setup, what type of credit is received, penalties for withdrawing, etc. Students will also need mentors with clearly defined roles. Students need to know who is there to help them through the process if they have academic or technical difficulties. They will also need someone to help with pacing, learning, and grading tasks. Students, also need the support of parents. Questions about the costs of the course, technology neededed for the course, and Internet access needed for the course will directly affect the entire family involved.
As you can see, online courses take the coordination and cooperation of many parties. Feedback can be very helpful in this process. It is often a good idea to have students help in the planning process.
Next year I plan to create a project in which my classes collaborate with another school somewhere around the world. I am not sure what the project will look like just yet because our class offerings and my preps change quite a bit from year to year, but I am sure that I can either design a project or sign up for a project that is posted either on the Skype for Education site, CapSpace, or some similar site.
In the past I have done collaborative projects where one class in our building would write a script and create storyboards for a video and then another class would film and produce the video. I am thinking that this would be a cool project if I had our students and students from another school swap scripts and then produce each others' videos. Then each group could view the results of the project that they created together. This project would allow students to collaborate, work with content area, and achieve several National Standards. Specifically, this project would cover the Communication and Collaboration Standards (NETS: 2a,2b,2c,2d) through the collaboration of teams, development of cultural understanding and global awareness, and the completion of a digital media project.
2. For students to be successful in an online learning environment there must be support measures in place. First off, students will need to be able to get connected to course materials. Therefore, they will need a computer, internet access, and possibly even access to the school network from home. Second, students will need a good support team. They will need information about the courses. Counselors will need to explain the course expectations, how the courses are setup, what type of credit is received, penalties for withdrawing, etc. Students will also need mentors with clearly defined roles. Students need to know who is there to help them through the process if they have academic or technical difficulties. They will also need someone to help with pacing, learning, and grading tasks. Students, also need the support of parents. Questions about the costs of the course, technology neededed for the course, and Internet access needed for the course will directly affect the entire family involved.
As you can see, online courses take the coordination and cooperation of many parties. Feedback can be very helpful in this process. It is often a good idea to have students help in the planning process.
Thing 18 - Staying Informed
1. For my RSS Aggregator I chose the Google Reader through iGoogle.
2. Some sites that I chose to subsribe to are: Wired, Slashdot, LifeHacker, Gizmodo, Ted Talks, and Boing Boing.
3. RSS feeds are great ways for educators to stay current. One of the hardest things for educators to do is to stay up to date on the newest trends in education, the latest happenings in the world, and especially the most recent developments in the technological field.
As a technology teacher and technology coordinator I feel like a big part of my job is just keeping up with the latest and greatest technologies, websites, and resources. It would be very easy to become stagnant and out of touch with the newest technological advancements if I didn't actively seek them out. I find that conferences, seminars, and classes are great ways to get exposed to new information, but I would also put news feeds into this category.
The great thing about RSS feeds is that you can read them on your own time at your own pace. I think it is fun to scan the headlines and read the stories that interest me. Also, it is nice to be able to choose the sites that you want to see. RSS feeds are like handy personalized newspaper. Additionally, I could see the potential for students to use these resources for their classes or personal life. For students that like to read or stay informed it is ideal. Also, I think that these types of feeds could be a must for a Current Events type of class.
Below are some screenshots from my Google Reader.
2. Some sites that I chose to subsribe to are: Wired, Slashdot, LifeHacker, Gizmodo, Ted Talks, and Boing Boing.
3. RSS feeds are great ways for educators to stay current. One of the hardest things for educators to do is to stay up to date on the newest trends in education, the latest happenings in the world, and especially the most recent developments in the technological field.
As a technology teacher and technology coordinator I feel like a big part of my job is just keeping up with the latest and greatest technologies, websites, and resources. It would be very easy to become stagnant and out of touch with the newest technological advancements if I didn't actively seek them out. I find that conferences, seminars, and classes are great ways to get exposed to new information, but I would also put news feeds into this category.
The great thing about RSS feeds is that you can read them on your own time at your own pace. I think it is fun to scan the headlines and read the stories that interest me. Also, it is nice to be able to choose the sites that you want to see. RSS feeds are like handy personalized newspaper. Additionally, I could see the potential for students to use these resources for their classes or personal life. For students that like to read or stay informed it is ideal. Also, I think that these types of feeds could be a must for a Current Events type of class.
Below are some screenshots from my Google Reader.
Thing 17 - Research and Reference Tools
1. I have decided to research the differences between the SIRS Discoverer Deluxe and SIRS Renaissance. Below is a screenshot of the SIRS Discoverer:
To begin working with the SIRS Discoverer you must either enter your driver's license number or State Id Number. It is a free service, but you first must validate that you are a michigan resident.
When you get into the site you see a wide variety of searchable categories (Animals, Sports, Cultures, History and Government, Science, Social Issues, etc.) By clicking on any of the topics you will see a list of resources which can then be sorted by type (newspapers, magazines, reference, pictures, and web sites). Topics can also be located throught the use of a keyword search.
In addition to the article searching capabilities, the SIRS Discoverer Deluxe has many other web tools and resources. The site contains a built in dictionary, thesaurus tool, almanac, and encyclopedia. Also, the site contains a database of teacher resources. Teachers can find resources about countries of the world, science projects, graphic organizers, photo essays, and bibliographies.
SIRS Renaissance by ProQuest K-12 is a database for researching the arts and humanities (music, art, religion, philosophy, culture, architecture, etc.) This site seems to have similar searching capabilities as the SIRS Discoverer program; however,this site does require a paid license in order to use it. To find pricing you must contact a local representative. It looks like it is determined based on the number of subscription areas that are chosen for your building.
Both of the SIRS databases seem like great resources for education. The sites have full-text articles from a wide range of resources. Additionally, they contain good educationally appropriate and accurate images. Even more importantly, these sites are monitored, updated, and checked for accuracy. Unlike many web sources found through basic searches or sites like Wikipedia, these databases contain only accurate and reliable information. They great tools for classroom research.
2. The Educator's Reference Complete is a database of periodicals and reports from the U.S. department of education. Below is a screenshot:
I found that the Educator's Reference Complete is a resource that is probably best used for teachers and administrators that would like to research a given topic. I can see this resource as being very useful for educators that are continuing their education and may need to do some real research on a topic. Similarly, I think the articles could be used to find statistical support for potential educational directions for a building
The articles in this collection are directed toward a fairly professional audience. I do not see this site as a great resource for secondary students unless it was specifically used in a research class or possibly an advanced placement class.
3. Below is an example of a citiation which was made through the Mel database website. The citation tool makes it very easy to quickly site any article or source that you are reviewing. The source below is about UDL (Univeral Design for Learning).
To begin working with the SIRS Discoverer you must either enter your driver's license number or State Id Number. It is a free service, but you first must validate that you are a michigan resident.
When you get into the site you see a wide variety of searchable categories (Animals, Sports, Cultures, History and Government, Science, Social Issues, etc.) By clicking on any of the topics you will see a list of resources which can then be sorted by type (newspapers, magazines, reference, pictures, and web sites). Topics can also be located throught the use of a keyword search.
In addition to the article searching capabilities, the SIRS Discoverer Deluxe has many other web tools and resources. The site contains a built in dictionary, thesaurus tool, almanac, and encyclopedia. Also, the site contains a database of teacher resources. Teachers can find resources about countries of the world, science projects, graphic organizers, photo essays, and bibliographies.
SIRS Renaissance by ProQuest K-12 is a database for researching the arts and humanities (music, art, religion, philosophy, culture, architecture, etc.) This site seems to have similar searching capabilities as the SIRS Discoverer program; however,this site does require a paid license in order to use it. To find pricing you must contact a local representative. It looks like it is determined based on the number of subscription areas that are chosen for your building.
Both of the SIRS databases seem like great resources for education. The sites have full-text articles from a wide range of resources. Additionally, they contain good educationally appropriate and accurate images. Even more importantly, these sites are monitored, updated, and checked for accuracy. Unlike many web sources found through basic searches or sites like Wikipedia, these databases contain only accurate and reliable information. They great tools for classroom research.
2. The Educator's Reference Complete is a database of periodicals and reports from the U.S. department of education. Below is a screenshot:
I found that the Educator's Reference Complete is a resource that is probably best used for teachers and administrators that would like to research a given topic. I can see this resource as being very useful for educators that are continuing their education and may need to do some real research on a topic. Similarly, I think the articles could be used to find statistical support for potential educational directions for a building
The articles in this collection are directed toward a fairly professional audience. I do not see this site as a great resource for secondary students unless it was specifically used in a research class or possibly an advanced placement class.
3. Below is an example of a citiation which was made through the Mel database website. The citation tool makes it very easy to quickly site any article or source that you are reviewing. The source below is about UDL (Univeral Design for Learning).
4. Below is a citation which was made online in EasyBib. It is citing an article about Green Technology.
Thing 16 - Professional Learning Networks
1. Below is a screenshot from Michigan Learnport:
Michigan Learnport is a good resource for a wide variety of topics. I have found that this site is particularly good for technology teachers like myself because it has a large selection of technology related information. Often times it is difficult to find good curriculum resources for very specific computer -related topics. However, in MI Learnport I can find lessons on topics like: C#Programming, Visual Basic Programming, Creating Videos, Designing Websites, Social Networking, Online Safety, etc. These are all topics which are taught by myself or other teachers in our department.
I like that teachers are able to begin any number of courses within MI Learnport to get the training that they desire. It is a very simple and easy system to work with. Teachers can work at their own pace, skip to the areas they need to see, or even take classes for credit or continuing education credits.
All in all, the MI Learnport is a nice resource for teachers. I have found that it pays to check in on the site over time because it seems that the curriculum that is offered continues to expand and sometimes you find just the topic that you are looking for.
2. Social networking sites have many advantages and disadvantages in education. It has been my experience that most administrators and teachers view sites like Facebook and Twitter as a distraction to education, but as educators we need to start to evaluate the positive possiblities of these forms of media.
On the negative side, social networking sites can be a distraction to students and teachers alike if they are only used for chatting with friends or posting non-educational materials. However, on the positive side, Facebook is a direct connection to the majority of our students and even many of our staff members and that is a powerful media. If we use Facebook or other intermediary programs to forward information to the Facebook community then this can be a great tool for presenting information and enhancing education.
Currently my school uses Facebook and Twitter quite successfully in the Athletic and Marketing departments; however, we are still reluctant to use it in the classroom. I feel like this will probably change in the near future. I am finding that many 3rd party programs now allow educators to push information to these platforms and that is only furthering the case for using this tool. I think the bottom line for much of education is time on task and if educators send good information to students where they spend their time, then we will probably be more successful in bridging that gap between students and teachers. Additionally, it will help to bridge communication lines to parents as well.
Inside the classroom I believe Facebook will also soon have a role. The key for using Facebook in school will be classroom management and clear expectations. Not so different that using any other tool in the classroom.
3. Macul Space is a good resource for posting questions to other educators about things they are doing in the classroom or in their building. I saw several forums on topics about using technology in the classroom, implementing One-To-One, etc.
4. Macul is a great organization for teachers to learn more about using technology in education. In Michigan the Macul conference is offered yearly in either Grand Rapids or Detroit on alternating years. The cost to join the Macul group is $40 and the conference costs between $130 and $210 depending on the number of days attended.
The Macul conference is one conference that I always look forward to as an educator. Membership to Macul is necessary to attending this conference and I would argue that this conference helps to justify any of the conference fees and costs. I always enjoy this conference because of its technology sessions and because of all the vendors that attend. Teachers and participants have the opportunity to test new equipment, ask questions of vendors and presenters, and continue their professional development.
Membership to Macul also allows teachers to receive additional information and updates about development opportunities and educational news.
As a Macul member I also have the opportunity to share with other members online or to present my expertise at the yearly conferences. Up to this point I have not presented at the conferences; however, I am considering this option for the future. On bonus to presenting is that you do not have to pay your conference costs. Futhermore, you have the ability to share your own unique knowledge to other educators. Having a wide range of technology duties in my building I could present information from a teaching standpoint, a technology standpoint, or even for specific software programs or online tools.
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