Tech. Tuesday- Nov. 27-Looking for a Good Read

This week's post is dedicated to blogging.  Type in anything in a search engine today and chances are you will find at least one blog post dedicated to your topic.  Blogs are everywhere about anything, and some writers are even making a living at this form of social networking.  They are also becoming a favorite teaching tool.

Wikipedia (yes, I actually think there is merit in using this resource) discusses blogging in the following way:  "Many blogs provide commentary on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries; others function more as online brand advertising of a particular individual or company. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important contribution to the popularity of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (art blogs), photographs (photoblogs), videos (video blogs or "vlogs"), music (MP3 blogs), and audio (podcasts). Microblogging is another type of blogging, featuring very short posts. In education, blogs can be used as instructional resources. These blogs are referred to as edublogs."

I happen to be a fan of blogging.  This probably comes as no shock to you.  Blogs impact my life in a variety of ways.  First, I subscribe to a number of quality blogs on topics related to my profession (i.e. education, technology, professional development, etc.) as well as those related to my personal life and interests (i.e. Adoption, photography, etc.)  I am also the author of several blogs.  Obviously, I write this blog relating to my profession.  I also maintain the school's photo blog (albeit not as well as I would like to) and I have just started a blog related to my own adoption experiences and my funny child's witticisms.  All of these help me to stay informed and give me an outlet for expression.

Many of you have blogs as well.  I highlighted educational blogs by John Richardson and Ingrid Boyd a few weeks ago.  I know that Sheri McCready also has a fitness blog.  I am sure there are others and I would love to read them.

If you have not really considered the benefits of blogs and blogging, I invite you to explore it.  Today, there are all sorts of easy sites to set up a blog in less time than it takes to drive through and get coffee at Timmy's.  Some free ones include:

Blogger-  www.blogger.com



WordPress-  http://wordpress.com/



Blog.ca-  www.blog.ca
Live Journal-  http://www.livejournal.com/
Edublogs-  http://edublogs.org/
Check out how Ingrid Boyd used blogging with Edublogs to document a class project and give her grade 4 students some authentic creative writing experiences.  She also used this activity as a vehicle for exploring digital citizenship and internet safety.  http://iboyd.edublogs.org/

Blogs (and blogging) can be great teaching tools.  You can create a blog for your students that focuses on your course material and provides resources.  Your students can also create blogs for a variety of reasons including:
*To promote a form of journaling
*To promote discussion on controversial topics
*To encourage a different format and forum for creative writing
*To display educational portfolios
*To explain concepts
And the list goes on...
Check out this blog about using blogs in the classroom.
http://elearningindustry.com/subjects/general/item/384-blogs-and-education-what-is-the-big-deal?
I hope you will take the time to watch Will Richardson's clip about blogging in the classroom.

By chance, yesterday's edition of Education Week Teacher included an article about the benefits of blogging.  The author of this article states, "Blogging can offer opportunities for students to develop their communications skills through meaningful writing experiences. Such projects not only motivate students to write, but motivate them to write well."  He also explains the unique feature of having students blog: "I believe it's important for students to have their writing read by more people than just their teacher. When they know that their families, their classmates, and people from around the world can read what they write, the impact is measurable. Students pay closer attention to everything from the mechanics of writing to word choice to structure to clarity."

Here are suggested steps for beginning a blog project, by Education Week Teacher:
1.  Choose a purpose:  How can the blogging project support learning objectives in the discipline(s) you teach?
2.  Decide on the format and platform:  Will all of your students' work be posted on one blog that you own and manage or will the students create their own blogs?  Each option has pros and cons related to the amount of control that you have over the content.
3.  Prepare & Practice:  What do your students need to know about writing for an audience?
4. Go public:  Once students' blogs are up, require them to read and comment on one another's work, and require individual bloggers to reply to every comment they receive. You could also invite parents, other teachers or community members to read the blogs and post comments.

If you would like to read the entire article in Education Week Teacher, go to:  http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2012/11


Here are some other interesting blogs that you might want to check out for your own learning:
Powerful Learning Practice:  http://plpnetwork.com/blog/
Mindshift:  http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/

If you would like to brainstorm about ways to utilize blogging in your own classrooms or if you would like assistance with setting up a blogging project, please let me know!

Tech. Tuesday- Nov. 6

Ok, so technically this Tech "Tuesday" post is only coming out on Wednesday...my apologies.  Anyway, this post is a continuation of the last one that focused on Web 2.0 tools that you might like to try.  This week, my emphasis will be on tools that really lend themselves towards courses in Social Studies and the Arts.

Social Studies:

Dippity:  This is a free, online timeline creator.  The best part is that students (or teachers) can annotate, add images and videos to their timelines.  From there, timelines can be shared via the Dippity site, social media sites, or embedded into blogs, wikis, etc.
Here is a sample Dippity timeline:

Abyei Crisis Timeline on Dipity.

Application ideas:

• Students create a biographical timeline about people they are studying
• Students create a timeline depicting major aspects of a historical event
• Students create a timeline illustrating the steps they took while completing a research project 

Animaps:  I really love this one!  Animaps enable users to create maps with animated markers and images and text that pops up when cued.  Animaps can then be embedded into web pages, blogs, wikis, etc. or viewed from the Animaps site.  Here is a great sample of an Animap about the 911 catastrophe:  http://www.animaps.com/pb/328005/7934/September_11

While this is a free application, it is slightly more complicated than some of the others I have shared with you.  No doubt, you and your students will get the hang of it quickly though.  Here is a basic tutorial for creating Animaps:

To create your own Animap, go to:  http://www.animaps.com/#!home



Historical Scene Investigation:  This is a really unique application.  With HSI, students can participate in mock crime scene investigations utilizing primary sources as the evidence.  This is what they say about themselves on their site:  "The Historical Scene Investigation Project (HSI) was designed for social studies teachers who need a strong pedagogical mechanism for bringing primary sources into their classroom. With the advent and accessibility of the internet, many libraries, universities and government agencies are housing their historical documents online. Simultaneously, there has been a push in K-12 history education to give students experiences that more closely resemble the work of a real historian."

Everything is done for you:  the crime, the scene, the primary documents...and even lesson ideas.  The only downside is that this is an American site and all of the historical events are American.  Check it out:  http://web.wm.edu/hsi/index.html?svr=www


The Arts:

Pencil:  With this application, you and your students can get back to basics and create traditional animation- online.  It claims to be simple enough that anyone can use it to make 2D bitmap/vector animation.

Here is a demo of a really basic animation created with Pencil.

 
To download this free application, go to: http://www.pencil-animation.org/index.php?id=Home
Have fun!

Webcanvas:  This one blew my mind!  What can I say, it is simply the world's largest online collaborative painting.  You simply log in, find a spot, and start adding your artwork to this amazing digital mural. 

What an interesting way to incorporate social/collaborative activity to your classes!  I challenge everyone to add something!  Check out 123 East!
To Register and get your spot on the canvas, go to:  http://webcanvas.com/#46740,0,1

Tech. Tuesday- Oct. 30

A few weeks back, one of our colleagues suggested that there might be some confusion amongst our staff as to what is meant by "Web 2.0 Application."  Fair enough....Web 2.0 applications differ from websites that just have users "passively consume" what is found on the pages.  Web 2.0 applications are web-based tools that allow users to interact with, contribute to and produce with the functions on the site.  This would include any social networking tool (Facebook, MySpace, Glogster, Ning, etc.), blog, wiki, RSS Readers, cloud networking hub, etc (Google Docs, Blogger, Wikispaces, Wikipedia, Drop Box, iCloud).  It also includes sites that enable users to create something new such as:  Wordle, Bitstrips, Jing, Voice Thread, Prezzi, Poll Anywhere, etc.).  These are examples of technologies that our alumni told us that they really need to be familiar with when they were polled two years ago.

Here is a cute (student-created) video that tries to explain Web 2.0.


This week's Tech. Tuesday post is dedicated to suggestions for Web 2.0 tools that you might be able to use in your classes- all free of charge.  Check them out:

Any Subject Area:  

Devolver Moviemaker:  Enables users to create animated movies using their characters, backgrounds, etc.  Moves can then be emailed to friends with a URL code or embedded into websites, blogs, social networking sites, etc.  Movies can be created in 6 steps. 
Application ideas:

• Students demonstrate their understanding of a new concept
• Students demonstrate their understanding of the plot of a novel
• Students demonstrate their ability to use a second language in a social context
• Students create scenarios that demonstrate their mastery of key vocabulary
• Students retell a lesson in their own words  

To get started with your first video, go to:  http://www.dvolver.com/moviemaker/make.html
   

Wordle:  Using this simple application, teachers or students can create textual graphic representations of concepts, content or pretty much anything.   To create a Wordle, from the website (http://www.wordle.net/) click Create.  Type words or paste in text from any document or website.  Frequently occurring words will appear much larger than words used only once or less frequently. Then use the edit tools: Language, Font, Layout, Color- to get the design to appear the way you want it.  Then you can save it to the public gallery on their site (if you want to access it again sometime or to obtain an embed code), print it or take a screen shot of it if you want to use it electronically in another location.  See the sample that I created below.

Application ideas:

• Students can generate Wordles in order to share personal information for ice-breakers
• Teacher create word clouds that include text relevant to new content or units and have students make predictions about what they will be studying
• Students create Wordles to illustrate key points to content being studied
• Students create Wordles to demonstrate understanding of parts of speech or other grammar topics 
• Students generate Wordles using the text from famous speeches and then analyze the words used
• Students generate Wordles using the text from historical document and then analyze themes

Glogster:  With Glogster,  users can create multi-media posters that can include text, images, and video.  Individuals can set up accounts or teachers can set up class accounts where he/she can see all of their students' glogs.  Once the account is created and your profile is set up, you can create a glog.  From the dashboard, you can change the background, add graphics, add music and videos, and create text.  Photos and videos can be uploaded from your own files or you can create links to the web.  Each graphic, video, or text can also be edited by clicking on it. They can be rotated, resized, and moved- or the font and color can be changed. You can also create hyperlinks with the graphics.  Completed Glogs can be save to the online account.  Users can also get embed information so that they can be used on webpages, in blogs or in Wikis.  They can also be emailed. Here is a sample Glog:    Application ideas:

• Students create Glogs as book reports or to represent novels being studied in class
• Teachers use a Glog instead of Powerpoint for class lessons or presentations
• Teachers use a Glog as a webquest
• Students create Glogs to represent specific time periods or social movements
• Students create Glogs to illustrate lab results
• Students create Glogs to demonstrate math formulas or problem solving
• Students create Glogs to represent new vocabularies

ESL Video:  With ESL Video, teachers can create web-based interactive quizzes based on online videos. Quizzes can employ a variety of multiple choice type questions. Once the teacher has crated the  quiz they can send students a link to it on the ESL Video site or they can embed the quiz into a  blog, course management system, etc. To use ESL Video, sign up, search for videos or pre-made quizzes.  You can also make your own quizzes by embedding the code for the video you want to use and then write the questions/answers.  After students take their quiz, they can send you their results electronically.  Here is a sample Video/Quiz:  To check out ESL Video, go to:  http://www.eslvideo.com/ Application ideas:

• Teacher creates video-based homework for students- works well for the Flipped Classroom model
• Teachers use videos to introduce new technologies or applications to students prior to requiring their use
• Teachers use quizzes to determine prior knowledge of a new subject matter

Web 2.0 Tools for Sciences:
 

My Experiment:  This Virtual Research Environment is a social networking site for scientists where users share data, research and workflows.  Check out this video description:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x83pzMMw7lk          

My Physics Lab:  This application provides interactive physics simulations.    Students can use this to see models of physical systems or solving physics equations. http://www.myphysicslab.com/           

Web 2.0 Tools for Math:          

FooPlot:  This is an online graphing calculator:  http://fooplot.com          

Geogebra:  Geogebra is an interactive site that employs algebra, geometry and calculus concepts. From their own description, with Geogebra,  "Students can select a point, line, vector, segment, circle, polygon or other feature and directly place their selection on the plane. From there the student may manipulate key attributes of their selection, such as the location of the point or the radius of the circle. The user may also enter his or her desired selection algebraically with a command, allowing for more complex equations and advanced functions, such as finding the derivative and integral. " For an article about using Geogebra in the classroom, go to: http://mathsclass.net/comments/using-geogebra/ 

To use Geogebra, go to:  http://www.geogebra.org/cms/              

Web 2.0 Tools for English:        

Penzu:  Penzu is a simple-to-use online journal.  Users can create using text and images that are positioned in the margin of the virtual notebook page.  Journal entries can be printed or emailed to the teacher.  https://penzu.com/home

Here is a brief explanation:  

Application Ideas:  

• Students use Penzu to maintain an online reflection journal
• Students use Penzu to create annotated writing assignments 

Tips for the "Tech-weary"

Not long ago, I was in a conversation with a group of teachers and one of our colleagues shared her frustration about all of the change that we were enduring.  She was tired of learning one thing, only to have it replaced with something new.  She wanted to know when we would just be able to use what we have without change.  To which I replied, "Never."  This was obviously not the response she was looking for and I understand that.  But what we all have to understand is that, in this rapidly changing world, the only constant we can expect in our profession is change.  How else can we prepare students for living in a world where technologies and jobs that they will be facing are not even created yet?  The bottom line is that we can't...or we shouldn't.  If we do, we risk facing as a school what I like to refer to as the "Blockbuster Effect."  We either change with the times, or we become obsolete- and maybe even have to close our doors.

The dilemma we face here is not unique to Ashbury.  Indeed, teachers all over the continent grow weary of trying to keep up with the latest and greatest. Because they cant afford to throw their hands up and avoid technology, they may try some of these tips:

Focus-  You do not have to do everything every year...instead commit to doing something- every year.  Ask good questions and take time to dabble with new tools so that you can decide which are the best fit for your teaching style and curriculum.  Then introduce only a few new things each year.  "Rome was not built in a day!"

Fight the Urge to Preconceive-  Learn about what a tool can do before determining how you will (or will not) use it.  Your use may be different from anyone else's.  Brianna Crowley (Education Week -Teacher) suggests, "You will have effectively integrated technology when you've used it to provide an opportunity for learning that your students would not have had otherwise." Chances are, if you are doing the same thing the same way you have for years, it's time to look for a better/easier/fresher way.  It isn't just a matter of replacing old tools with new- it's about teaching differently."

Evaluate Potential:  Check for usefulness.  You can ask:  Has this tool been recommended by someone knowledgeable or someone whom I respect?  Will I be able to expand my classroom beyond my four walls?  Does this tool save time for my students?  Will this tool facilitate my students' use of higher-order thinking skills?  Does this tool solve a persistent problem for my students or me?  A tool is only as good as the work it helps us produce.

Model Life-long Learning:  Using technology as a tool for learning:  we need to model it.  We should be using technology to increase our ability to learn from or collaborate with each other.  If you want your students to get "stuff" done in groups outside of class, use technology to get "stuff" done with your colleagues.  If you want your kids to be reflective in a blog, read some of your own to see what impact they can have.  If you want kids to respond to questions and comments outside of class, spend some time checking out Twitter or other discussion forums.  How do the ones created for educators benefit you?  The bottom line is we cannot stop learning and growing.  They can't either.

Many of these tips came from Brianna Crowley's article in Education Week: Teacher.  To view the complete article, go to:  http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2012/10/24/tln_crowley_tech.html

Tech. Tuesday- Oct. 23

"The educational environment isn't exploiting digital content for all of the benefits that can accrue for today's learners.  The gap is widening for what we do in our lives- how we communicate, work, learn, and play- and how we're educating our kids."  (SEDTA, 2012)

The State Education Technology Directors Association (SEDTA) in the U.S. has recommended that all schools shift away from printed textbooks by 2017.  This shift would be done gradually as schools rotate through their natural textbook adoption cycles.

More and more, schools and universities are researching the benefits of and moving towards the use of e-textbooks instead of the traditional print texts.  As part of the 3-Year I.T. Plan at Ashbury, I am beginning to do this as well.  So far, my reading has yielded mixed results. Here is a summary:

• The benefits of moving to digital resources include:
• Digital resources can be updated easily and more frequently than textbooks- without reprinting costs
• It is possible that digital resources can be much less expensive than print textbooks
• They can be available for students, parents and teachers anytime and anyplace
• They allow for multimedia content, interactivity and online assessments
• Digital resources allow teachers to individualize content for all types of learners and even create their own content
• Students can annotate resources without damaging the the materials
• Reduces the need to drag heavy backpacks to and from school
• Options for resources, content and providers are increasing exponentially

 Those opposed to moving to e-textbooks and digital resources make the following arguments:

• Using e-books makes it harder to remember what was read.  An article published in Time.com proposes that:
•  studies have shown that on-screen reading is measurably slower than reading on paper
• While an additional study in England found that there is no measurable difference in student performance when using e-texts compared against printed text, there does seem to be a slight difference in need to read the material more than once.
• Context and landmarks are important when learning material.  These include remembering where on the page the material was read and what it was near.  Opposers contend that there are fewer spatial landmarks in digital content than in printed content
• Smaller screens may make material less memorable (Hmmm, what does this say about novels?)
• Physically flipping pages is less mentally taxing than flipping online pages

• There aren't enough options for digital textbooks yet.
• Purchasing e-readers makes the cost savings of e-textbooks a mute point
• University students are concerned that they cannot resell digital texts
• Students are worried that they might lose their notes if done digitally
• Some e-texts require so much storage space that most of today's readers do not have enough memory to provide any functionality beyond storing texts

 Within the same article, however, the writer admits that these issues probably boil down to the fact that students are simply not used to using e-text yet and that students who grow up using e-textbooks and resources will have far fewer difficulties.

So then I ask you...isn't this just another case for "What's new is less comfortable at first?"  Don't we just need to deal with it?

Just like we must face the fact that the time has come for us to all embrace new technologies in our classrooms, provide online resources by using course management systems and refuse to allow our fears to polarize us as lifelong learners vs. stagnaters, the time has come for us to really explore and consider the move to opening the doors to digital devices and the tools/resources that come with them into our classrooms. After all, if it is best for kids...isn't it just plain BEST?
I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic.  In your opinion, what are the benefits and drawbacks to embracing these emerging options?

References:

• Out of Print:  Reimagining  the K-12 Textbook in a Digital Age- SETDA:  www.setda.org

• Report:  Schools Should Move from Print to Digital Content by 2017- Education Week:  http://blogs.edweek.org/marketplacek12/2012/09/tranistion_from_print_to_digital_2017.html?cmp+ENL-II-NEWS2

• Report Recommends Shift to Digital Educational Resources Within 5 Years-- THE Journal:  http://thejournal.com/articles/2012/9/24/report-recommends-shift-to-digital-educational-resources-within-5-years.aspx?admgarea=News1

• 10 Reasons Students Aren't Using Digital Textbooks- TeachThought:  http://www.teachthought.com/technology/10-reasons-students-arent-using-digital-textbooks

•  Do E-Books Make It Harder to Remember What You Just Read?- Time.com:  http://healthland.time.com/2012/03/14/do-e-books-impair-memory/?iid=hl-main-feature

Building Our PBL Muscles

While I was employed in the Professional Development Center in Austin ISD, I had the privilege of working with the professionals at the Institute for Learning (IFL).  They are consultants in the areas of best practices and learning research.  They describe themselves in the following way:  "Located at the Learning Research and Development Center of the University of Pittsburgh, the IFL works closely with both researchers and educators to translate research findings into practical actions that teachers, administrators, schools, and districts can implement to help close the learning gap and promote high student achievement."  One of the IFL's most important contributions to teaching/learning, in my opinion, is their clearly articulated Principles of Learning.  Of their nine principles, the most difficult one for teachers to embrace, thus far, is the principle of "Learning As Apprenticeship."  In a nutshell, this principle holds valuable the practice of organizing learning environments so that students operate much like the apprentice would while learning a skill/profession.  The emphasis, obviously, is on hands-on instruction.  If you would like to read more about the nine Principles of Learning, you can start here:  http://ifl.lrdc.pitt.edu/ifl/index.php/resources/principles_of_learning

In my current professional reading, I have come across a good number of articles highlighting the importance of project-based learning and problem-based learning as the standard best practices in classroom instruction.  At first glance, the two strategies seem basically the same.  In actually, their differences are subtle, but important.  A research article published online by the All Ireland Society for Higher Education (AISHE) in affiliation with the International Consortium for Educational Development, defined them best (at least for me).  Project-based learning is focused on a long-term group activity that results in a product, presentation or performance.  End products tend to be elaborate and require a great deal of planning.  Problem-based learning is "both a curriculum and a process" whereby problems are carefully designed by the teacher and solved by the learner.  While solving the problem, necessary skills and knowledge are built as a natural part of the process.  The end product is not nearly as important as the process that the students use to solve the problem.  Both are learner-centered approaches that require the teacher to take the role of facilitator or coach, rather than sage.  Both rely heavily on assessments for and as learning.  Furthermore, both are touted with developing more active and motivated students who assume more responsibility for their own learning that those in traditional classrooms.  This article also goes on to define the important features of the design stage of the lessons:
1.  Clear guidance about how to begin the project
2.  Detailed/written project specifications & project guide
3.  Careful piloting/testing of the projects to establish reasonable expectations of time
4.  Collection of sample projects as exemplars for students

To read the full article, go to:  http://www.aishe.org/readings/2005-1/donnelly-fitzmaurice-Collaborative-Project-based-Learning.html

I'm guessing that by now, you see why I feel that the IFL's work with "Learning As Apprenticeship" is ringing true to me even in my development as a student of learning today.  With PBL, students learn to think like scientists, mathematicians, writers, historians, etc.

Peter Skillen, respected Canadian educator and consultant, published an article in the July edition of Mindshift, attempting to demystify the characteristics of PBL.  I found this graphic quite helpful.

He also asks some really poignant questions related to each area on the continua that teachers can use as their classroom practice begins to evolve in this direction:
Trust:  Who is in control and who's passion is being ignited and honoured with this project/problem?  Who is responsible for setting the goals? (The obvious answer is 'the students.')
Questioning:  Who is asking the questions?  (Students)
Collaboration:  How much interdependence do the students have with one another?
Content:  Are there natural links to other domains that provide context?
Knowledge:  Are the students constructing their own new meanings and understandings or are the regurgitating what they have found in their research?
Purpose:  How authentic is the project or problem?  Are students being scientists, historians, writers, etc. or are they merely "studying" science, math, history, etc?

That last question is the one that I hope you will keep with you as you finish reading this article.  It certainly is the one I will keep with me as I observe, evaluate and learn from Ashbury classrooms and teachers.

If anything here has piqued your interest and you would like to learn more about this together, I would be happy to create a Professional Learning Group with this as its focus.  Please let me know.

What Was He Using?!

On Friday, Gary used two online applications that a number of you wanted to know more about:  Quizlet & Prezi.

Quizlet provides thousands of online study games and flash cards covering almost any subject.  Teachers (and students) can contribute their own as well.  The content can be presented as flash cards or it can be set up as test or competitions.  This is a free Web 2.0 tool that you may want to take a closer look at.  http://quizlet.com/about/

Prezi is in amazing online presentation tool that makes PowerPoint look sick.  To learn more or to create a free account, go to:  http://prezi.com

Killing two birds with one stone:  Check out this Prezi about some of the best educational Apps for the iPad or iPhone.

60 Educational Apps in 60 Minutes on Prezi

As always, if you would like to have a hands-on workshop about either of these, or if you would like help with creating your first set of Quizlets or creating your first Prezi presentation, please let me know.

Siri in the Classroom: "Siri-ous" Benefit or "Siri-ous" Risk?

As some of you may already know, with the release of the latest IOS (6), Apple has included Siri for the iPhone 4s, 5 & iPad 3.  For those who have never heard of Siri, in a nutshell, it is a digital personal assistant that allows you to create messages, search the web, check the weather, get directions or listings, make phone calls and find out answers to basic questions all by simply speaking into the device.  Siri is also smart enough to ask clarifying questions and learn about you along the way in order to inform its responses.
Here is a link to some basic information about Siri:  http://www.apple.com/ios/siri/siri-faq/

Our colleague, Ingrid Boyd, ran up against this earlier this week.  As you already know, she is piloting a 1:1 iPad program with her grade 4 class.  When she rolled out the iPads for the first time and began working with students in her introductory lesson, she was amazed that a number of the students knew about Siri and immediately began to use it rather than engage in the web search activity "the usual way."  So now, just like me, she is faced with wondering if this is a good thing in the classroom.

We already know that students are now afforded the luxury of having more information at their fingertips at any given moment than we could have dreamed of having when we were in school.  This is just a reality that we must deal with and so we modify our way of teaching accordingly.  We cannot control this, nor should we.  Nevertheless, Siri still gives me pause for thought.  If students begin using Siri to assist them with their interactions with technology, are they missing out on the benefits of knowing the "fundamentals" of using technology as a tool?  Or, do they really need to experience typing key words into a search engine, reading an online weather chart, writing their own emails or text messages, making their own entries into online calendars, etc?  Will their skills be poorer or their lives be negatively impacted by missing out on this?  I really don't know.

What I do know is this:  just like the computer, and the calculator before that, and the reference book before that...these tools are here, now.  While Ingrid may be able to tell her students to turn off Siri when using the Ashbury iPads, she cannot control the fact that it is on their personal iPhones, iPads and iPods.  They are going to use it at some time.  My initial response to her when she asked my opinion was to suggest that she take the time to explain Siri to her students and then explain her policy about using it in the classroom.  She should have them turn it off, unless she has instructed them to use it.  Then, just like she would for any other technology tool,  she will need to find appropriate times for her students to incorporate it into their repertoire of tools.

Here is a link to a pretty good blog post about the way Siri may impact education:  http://www.onlinecollege.org/2011/11/27/20-ways-siri-may-forever-change-education/

Both Ingrid and I are interested in your thoughts about this.  What are the benefits of using Siri in the classroom?  What are the potential pitfalls?  Please take a moment to post a comment with your ideas.

Tech.Tuesday- Oct. 16

Last week, I stumbled across a tool that has the potential to be quite exciting. It is called Nearpod.  In a nutshell, Nearpod is a slide-based presentation and interaction tool that allows teachers to control content across their students' iPads (or other devices) from their own iPad.   Technology Director, Frederico Padovan from Immaculata-LaSalle High School in Miami, describes Nearpod as, "Powerpoint on steroids."  However, slide-sharing is only a small part of what this App can do.  It will also allow teachers to to add interactive elements such as polls, surveys, questions, interactive drawing spaces, assessments, etc.  Moreover, teachers will get live data from student input as soon as it is submitted.  Beginner teachers simply use an existing powerpoint presentation, JPEG image or PDF from their lessons, pop it into Nearpod, and away they go.

Here is a diagram from their website describing how it is done:

  Check out this video for more information:



If you would like to see this in person and tinker with it yourself, I am working on a demo that I will roll out soon.  Stay tuned!

Tech. Tuesday- Oct. 9

This week, I would like to highlight the blogs of two of our colleagues:  Ingrid Boyd & John Richardson.  In both cases, the blogs focus on the use of technologies in the classrooms (largely) and their perspectives are worth reading.  Secondly, I wanted to highlight these blogs as examples of how to use blogging in your classrooms.  Both of these blogs were created in response to expectations for university classes.  You could have your students write blogs as part of their summative evaluations, as a form of formative assessment, as a way of journaling their work for a larger project or as a form of online portfolio.  What other ways might you use blogging as a tool in your classes?

Ingrid's blog:  http://ingboyd.edublogs.org/2012/07/25/responding-to-literature-in-a-web-2-0-world/

John's Blog:  http://creepingsnail.blogspot.ca

Tech. Tuesday (on Thursday)- Oct. 4

Hello again.  The post will be devoted largely to providing more Mac tips as well as more support with working with Mark Book.  I hope you find it useful.

More Mac Tips:
1.  Customize Desktop Icons-  In the Finder, click View- Show View Options.  Use the sliders to select icon size, spacing and labelling preferences

2.  Set Login Items-  To add or delete Apps that start up every time you login (including shared drives), open the System Preferences- Users & Groups- Select the Login Items tab- Check or uncheck items already listed.  To select new Apps or files, click the + and browse to locate the items.

3.  Quick Calculations Using Spotlight-  Need to do a calculation on can't find your calculator?  No problem.  Just click on the spotlight icon (small magnifying glass in the top right-hand toolbar), type in your math problem and BINGO, the first resource that pops up is a calculator with the solution to your calculation.

4.  Define words within Apps themselves-  I love this one!  In most APPS (including web pages), you can highlight the unknown word (by clicking and dragging across the word) and hold down control-command-D.  The word will turn yellow and then a dictionary reference will pop up with everything you need to know about the word.  Try it out!!!

5.  Force Quit-  To force apps that have frozen to quit (close), click Command-Option-Escape and the force quit window (like the Task List in Windows) will pop up.  Select the App and "Force Quit."

These Tips came from Mac Tips: 25 OS X Tricks Every User Should Know. For a look at the complete list, go to:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/03/mac-os-x-tips-tricks_n_855102.html#s270739&title=Tap_To_Click

Mark Book Tutorials:
For those of you who prefer to learn about Mark Book via video, here are a few that discuss the items in the instructions that I sent all of you:

Creating a New Class:



Creating and Editing Mark Sets:

Tech. Tuesday- Sept. 25

This week, I will continue with my Mac Tips in the first part of the post and then give some commentary on an article that I read about using cell phones in the classroom.

Mac Tips:
Brian Storosko included these two tips in his weekly letter to the Junior School teachers:

1. Software Update – it is good practice to click on the Apple logo in the top left corner of your tool bar and select – Software Update – this will review your Apple software and let you know what needs to be installed.

2.  It is easy to run a slide show from a picture folder (vs using iPhoto). Just go to the folder, select all, right click on one of the photos and select quick view, by selecting full screen you get the option of running it as a slide show.

Thanks Brian!

Here are some applications that you may not have had time to explore on your Mac.  If you click on the  Launchpad (looks like the rocket ship on your dock), you will find these:

New Oxford Dictionary:  Type in any word and it will look up the definition.  It can also serve as a Thesaurus.

Solver:  This is a great app!  From this you can create calendars, pro vs. con sheets, To Do lists, calculate a loan, and print various sizes of graph paper.  There are other time management and personal/business finance tools there too.  Check it out!

Stickies:  Click on this tool to create an electronic sticky note on your desktop.

Grapher:  Click on the Utilities to get to this graphing tool.  You can create various types of graphs in 2D or 3D.

Equation Editor:  Math teachers, go into the folder entitled Microsoft Office 2011 (other) to find this pretty nifty equation editor.  Maybe this could replace the one in Word Perfect???

Outlook Signature:  I have noticed that many of you have set up your signature in Outlook the way that Natasha has asked.  This is great.  However, for many of you, your signature is crammed right up against the text of your email.  To give yourself some space (instead of having to hit enter to move the signature down in the body of the email), go back to where you set up your signature (Outlook-Preferences-Signatures) and insert some spaces before the signature.  You can also increase your font size by right clicking (two fingers) on the text of your signature and scrolling to Font-Show Fonts.

The Only Thing We Have to Fear is... 120 Characters

Kevin Thomas and Christy McGee recently published this article (see title above). It was their contention that our fears about allowing cell phone use in the classroom are keeping us from harnessing an incredible learning resource.  They explain that, "This paper explores the current research to refute the claim that cell phones are responsible for aberrant behaviours and to explore the potential instructional benefits of cell phones in the classroom."

Some of the common concerns about cell phone use in the classroom include: "textease," cheating, cyberbulling and sexting.  They address each of these by looking at the research.  Here are their findings:

Textease:  "Along with having no foundation in fact and being largely the product of the media, this fear of adulteration is nothing new.  Teachers often fear anything written or spoken that does not use standard English.  These fears were illustrated in the fight over Ebonics and Black English."  They go on to contend that,"students, like adults, are able to 'code switch' between modes of communication."  The authors also quoted a research study conducted in 2008 that found that  not only did textease  not have a negative impact on students' abilities in terms of writing and spelling, but that those students actually wrote better.  I would love to see that research.

Cheating:  The authors quoted a 2010 study that found that one-third of high school students reported using their cell phones to cheat.  However, they remind us that cheating is not a new phenomenon.  In 1980 (pre-cell phone), they say, 75% of students reported cheating at school.  In 2006, still 74% of students admitted to cheating in school.  Therefore, their contention is that,"Students cheat due to an 'erosion of ethics, self-centredness, not being held responsible for their actions, and pressure from high-stakes testing and parents- none of which have to do with technology or mobile phones."

Cyberbullying:  The American Life Project found that 26% of teenagers have been bullied via mobile phone by calls or text messages.  However, the authors remind us that bullying definitely pre-dates mobile phones.  They say, "Cyberbulling is the latest technological incarnation of this harmful behaviour."  However, "Banning cell phones is not going to make students stop bullying."

Sexting:  As you probably imagine, their research found no evidence to support the claims that cell phones increase student's discussions about sex or participation in sexual misconduct.  The authors state, "Inappropriate behaviour is the result of the lack of guidance and mentoring on the part of adults."  Furthermore, they argue that, "An alarming number of students are injured or killed in traffic accidents each year, but no one blames the car for these tragedies.  It is accepted that driver error and the the car itself is at fault.  The same is true of cell phones used for inappropriate activity."

Thomas and McGee then went on to describe various ways that cell phones can be excellent learning tools.  Their focus is on using cell phones for creation, collaboration, differentiation, assessment and reflection.

Texting:  "Texting can be used to support three types of student interaction:  student to student; student to teacher; and student to content."  They suggest that teachers could use text messaging to remind students about homework, projects or upcoming tests.  Texting, by way of SMS messaging, can also be used by teachers to assess students in the form of pop quizzes or polls.  

I have mentioned the site called Poll Everywhere before.  Using this really easy Web 2.0 tool,  teachers can keep students engaged and attentive, while collecting valuable content data.  

Digital Photos:  Almost every cell phone has a digital camera today.  Thomas & McGee tell us that there are a number of classroom applications for digital photos:  collection of data; scientific visualization; facilitation of reading,writing and visual communication in English; mathematical analysis; providing a context for mathematical problem solving; as an inquiry tool in social studies.

Audio/Video recordings:  Cell phones can be used to create podcasts by students; record classroom lectures; record themselves speaking for oral assessment; conduct interviews for projects; and create multimedia projects- to name a few.

Internet access:  Cell phones with internet access puts the world of information in the palm of the hand of the learner.  They can also access emailed information from teachers and they can access hundreds of educational applications and websites.   

E-texts:  Students can access and read e-texts for their classes using their cell phones which do not take up as much space on their desks as do laptops or print textbooks.

In summary, Thomas and McGee think that, "Technologies, when used appropriately in the classroom, have the potential to create student-centered learning environments where the teachers have a more facilitative role."

Thomas, K.M. & McGee, C.D. (2012). The only thing we have to fear is...120 characters. TechTrends

        (56). p. 19-33.

I would love to hear what YOU think.  Please leave your comments!

Tech Tuesday- On Friday, September 21

I apologize for taking so long to get the first post up for this new school year.  Hopefully, I will be on track now.  This week's Tech. Tuesday post will be devoted to Mac tips.  This will also be a theme throughout the year, so check back often!

Mac Keyboard Shortcuts:

Here are the modifier key symbols you can see in Mac OS X menus:
(Command key) – On some Apple keyboards, this key also has an Apple logo ()
(Control key)
(Option key) – “Alt” may also appear on this key
(Shift key)
(Caps Lock) – Toggles Caps Lock on or off
fn (Function key)

Common Shortcuts:
Command- W:  Close window
Option- Command- W:  Close all windows
Command- P:  Print
Command- L:  Make alias
Command - Delete:  Move to trash
Command - X:  Cut
Command - C:  Copy
Command - V:  Paste
Command - A:  Select all
Command- Shift- 3:  Take a screen shot
Command- Shift- 4:  Take a picture of a section
Option- Command- Esc:  Force Quit
Control-Eject:  Restart
Control- Command- Eject:  Close all applications and shut down

These were obtained from the following URL:  http://3rr0rists.net/macintosh/mac-os-x-keyboard-shortcuts.html
Check it out if you want a complete list of all shortcuts.


Microsoft Word Overview:
I find this to be one of the best overview videos highlighting the key changes in Microsoft Word 2011 for Mac.  It is only about 5 minutes long.  Check it out!




Mac OSX 10.7 Tips & Tricks:
In this video, the "Top Seven Hidden Features" of our operating system are demonstrated.  Warning: The guy talks fast!  Newbies beware!

Mac Video Demos

Here are the helpful videos used in the Mac PD Session- for your convenience.












For more helpful training videos and documents, use the following URL:
http://www.apple.com/findouthowhttp://www.apple.com/findouthow

Let's Make Sure Our Students Could Earn Their MBI

I recently came across the site of self-proclaimed World's leading futurist, Jim Carroll (http://www.jimcarroll.com/category/trends/education-trends/) He contends that tomorrow's leaders will not be able to survive on today's skills. In our rapidly changing world, thanks to technology innovation, business leaders will no longer need to know how to manage, administer and/or comply. Instead, the only people who will rise to the top are those who can creatively access readily available resources and problem- solve in creative and innovative ways. This is not a new idea (ironically). However, what I found refreshing in his writing was his notion that universities should do away with degrees such as the MBA and prepare students for the future by offering an MBI- Masters of Business IMAGINATION. Clever huh? A graduate with this degree would demonstrate the ability to: 1. See things differently and come up with new ideas 2. Foster creativity in others 3. Look for the potential in change; rather than view it as a threat 4. Refuse the status quo 5. Set future-oriented goals that embrace inevitable change 6. Posess the ability to gain "just-in-time knowledge" and then unlearn it just as easily when inevitable changes dictates it 7. Despises and refuses to use or listen to the word "can't" 8. Readily and enthusiastically faces challenges 9. Embraces change 10. Listens to and surrounds him/herself with people who are different and think differently 11. Refuses to say, "It won't work" and says, "How can we make it work?" This made me pause and wonder, what needs to change in our current curricula and pedagogy if we were going to prepare our students to enter into that type of university program? Are we graduating students at Ashbury College who would be good candidates for that program? If not, what would we need to change?

Tech. Tuesday- April 24

I enjoyed listening to your innovations and your discussions at our last faculty meeting.  I also appreciate getting your notes from your groups.  It was exciting to learn about some of the things that you are doing in your classes.  In fact, I was so pleased, that I decided to synthesize the most unique feedback and share it with everyone so that we could all benefit.  Here is what some of us are doing:

1.  A number of us are using Popplets for the purposes of cloud computing and to facilitate collaboration.  Popplets are like Wikis in that multiple people can work together on projects.  Unlike Wikis, Popplets tend to focus on primarily visual ideas, so they are great for graphic organizers, portfolios and galleries.
Check it out!



2.  Likewise, cloud computing in the form of Google Docs or Drop Box is starting to become popular here.  The benefits are that they make editing papers easier for students and teachers can give feedback electronically.  It also allows teachers and students to work on tasks from anywhere and reduces how much anyone needs to lug around in backpacks or bags or keep on USB keys that can be easily lost.  There is even a Drop Box app for the iPad!  Check out this descriptive video!

3.   For his astronomy unit, one of our colleagues had his class conduct a speed dating activity.  They each represented one planet and as they meet on the speed dating track, they "get to know each other" via questions and answers.  Very clever!

4.  Our Communications Technology teacher has been using Bamboo Tablets in his classes.  He loves it because it enables him to demonstrate, draw and communicate with a pen tool rather than a mouse.  He can also create diagrams and share on his course management system.  His students love it because they can

Create storyboards, cartoons and animation more naturally with a pen tool and manipulate and create images and art digitally more freely than with a mouse.  Here is a link to the Bamboo website:

http://www.wacom.com/en/Products/Bamboo/BambooTablets/BambooConnect.aspx

  Here is a demo video:

5.  Instead of assigning a pen and paper task, one of our Social Studies teachers allowed her students to do a physical simulation of how bills are passed in the House of Commons.

6.  One of our French teachers is having her students prepare their summatives using various methods such as poetry, music, art and creative writing.

7.  One of our Science teachers conducted her Ecology unit with the "Nature Deficit Disorder" theme.  She had a "no student left inside" policy whereby every class was conducted outside (rain or shine).  This actually took them away from the culture of technology and required them to be influenced by the "affective domain."  There job was to choose a tree and discuss the Re-Birth of a tree.  Every student presented an "exit interview" whereby they presented a "patty cake" to the teacher explaining what they learned.  I would love to know more about this and I bet you would too!

There were two requests with regards to innovations.  First, one of our teachers inquired about a way to allow students to display their poems, songs, art, etc.  I would highly recommend Voice Thread for this sort of thing.  I believe I have already blogged about Voice Thread in the past. If you have forgotten what Voice Thread is, here is a link to their demo video:
http://voicethread.com/?#q.b409.i848804

Second, one of our colleagues asked for ideas about applications that would allow for computer-based collaboration between students (i.e. building a sample essay together).  There are so many options for this.  As mentioned earlier, you could use Google Docs.  Many of you have experience the collaborative features of Google Docs as we worked on the CAIS assessment document together.  I also describe the Popplet earlier, which would work nicely.  Or, you could use one of any number of Wikis.  At this time, I tend to prefer the wikis in Wikispaces.  They offer a good product to teachers for free and it is really simple to use.  I would be happy to help you set one up!

As always, if you are interested in learning more about any of these tools to help us continue to innovate in our classrooms, please come see me.

What? You Mean That Students Should Actually USE the Feedback We Give Them?

My favorite mentor of classroom management use to say, "The only thing in learning with a 100% guarantee is forgetting."  This is pretty bad news for teachers.  Along with that, I learned long ago that it's almost as sure that students pay little heed to the incredibly insightful and wise feedback that I used to give them on their papers (picture my sideways grin).  Perhaps, I learned this by seeing so many of my painstakingly marked papers left in desks, on floors or in the garbage can.  Perhaps, I learned this by having to repeat the same feedback over and over and wondering what is wrong with "those kids?!"  Either way, I learned that kids only wanted to see the mark and that my feedback, no matter how positive its intent, was seen as criticism...and not the motivating kind.

An article in the March 26 edition of ASDC's Inservice magazine addressed this issue and I thought some of the ideas were brilliant!  The teacher in this article, Melissa Poole, not only noticed that her students were not paying attention to her feedback, but she also noticed that he students really did not know how to give meaningful feedback to their peers.  She commented, "Too often, feedback is just a way to justify a grade, rather than help students improve."   As a result, Poole decided that she needed to model good feedback for them and she needed to "show" them how to use this feedback to improve their performance.  She looked to innovative technology to assist her with this new best practice.

First, she uses free screencasting applications such as Jing to record herself marking and commenting on the paper and how to make improvements.  Teachers could also use the very simple LiveScribe audio PDF application to get similar results.  Next, she uploads the videos to a private channel on YouTube for the student to view.  One could also opt to use their course management system to upload the videos or they could be emailed to the students.

Finally, she set up virtual "office hours" in Google Docs telling her students she'd be live on Google Docs during certain hours, and that they should log on at those times and share their work in progress to get live feedback.  Again, this could be accomplished using any variety of course management applications, such as Moodle.

To me, there is no better example of looking to innovative technologies to help solve an age-old issue than this.  If you would like to do something similar, please let me know!

Tech. Tuesday- April 8

Many of you already use the excellent web 2.0 tool called Turnitin.com.  One of your favorite parts of this tool is the Originality Check application that is capable of comparing uploaded student work to hundreds of thousands of websites for potential plagiarism.  I have used it myself and it is amazing.  However, some of you still feel that plagiarism remains a concern in your classes.  Let me invite you to check out this archived webinar from Turnitin.com:   Pushing Past Plagiarism with OriginalityCheck

By far, fewer of you utilize the online grading capabilities of Turnitin.com.  This application allows you to mark student work much quicker and easier without carrying around stacks of papers.  You can use the comments already included in the program or you can create your own and then place those comments on students' work with the click of the mouse.  If you are not convinced that GradeMark will make marking easier and faster for you, then check out this interactive tutorial.  https://demo-www.turnitin.com/dv?o=222980585&u=1007009245&lang=en_us&demo=1&cv=1&output=json&s=3

Using Google Docs to make Digital Kits for Projects 

While reading a March post of The Tempered Radical, I was intrigued by Mr. Ferriter's description of a way to use Google Docs to make Digital Project Kits for students.  I described Google Docs in a previous blog post (see Tech. Tuesday- December 20).  Using Google Docs to create a project kit for students, especially those in lower grades, seemed ingenious to me.  Basically, a digital kit is a collection of anything (i.e. photos, video clips, audio clips, passages of text, articles, documents, cartoons, etc.) connected to the project topic that teachers assemble for the students prior to the beginning of the project. Then, students use the content in digital kits to create their final products.  Now, before that furrowed brow that you have on your face becomes permanent, let me acknowledge that this would take some time to prepare on the part of the teacher, and explain why this would be time well spent.  First, it would speed up the process of the project.  As Mr. Ferriter describes, "Instead of spending days searching for content, students using pre-assembled digital kits are freed to think about the topic of study immediately." This would also give the teacher more control over the types of resources the students use in their projects.  Here's the best part though, if you search for images using Google Docs, Google only provides photos and images that are licensed for reuse and modification.  This means that no one has to worry about copyright infringement with these images!  Here are the steps for doing this (thanks to Mr. Ferriter):

1.  Start a new presentation in Google Docs

2.  Under Insert select Image

3.  In the Insert Image menu, select Google Image Search

4.  Type in your search term

5.  Google will only find images that are reusable without copyright infringement

6. After clicking on the image you want to use, find the link to the original image online found at the bottom of the image collection that Google has returned
7. Follow that link to find as much information about the original photographer as you can
8. Click on the Notes section of the slide to write a citation for the image.
9. When you are finished creating your digital kit, select the Share button in the top-right hand corner of your screen to make the file publicly available on the web
10. Copy the link that Google generates for your digital kit and share it with your students

 If you have a topic that you would like to see addressed in this blog, or if you would like to make a suggestion for training, please let me know!