After talking to my administration, there are multiple improvements that Houston is trying to implement. The first is to continue on the past of formative and summative assessment. With our new grading policy, which will be explained in August, focuses more on formative assessment versus a daily grade on assignments. We will be breaking our grades down to different areas, but I will only have to give five grades in a six weeks. I will also be grading their behavior in a different way as well. I think that while new policies are great, there has to be a blend of good assessment, and what is beneficial to the students and teachers.
One of the goals is to also have more computer time in each of the classrooms. With the technology initiatives that IISD has tried to incorporate, this is becoming more of an issue in the middle school classrooms, because when they become freshman, they are not ready for the one to one incorporation of the laptop. This will be incorporated by having a requirement of each teacher using technology at least once a week.
Data collection is going to be focused more on D2SC to gather not only the current information, but also the information from previous years and make teachers know how to use this and do this. We will be focusing on completing more TEKS checks online as well for students to figure out how to run their own data to figure out what they need.
To know if we are effective for technology, it must be in our lesson plan, and then we will be discussing them in our PLCs that we meet with weekly. The district will also be completing more walk-thrus in our classroom on days that we will be using technology. For grading policy, we will be working on that as the district comes out with more information.
The future assessment in my classroom will be run similar to years in the past. With our district going to a completely new grading policy for next year I don't know what my gradebook will look like or how things will look as a whole. I am also receiving new curriculum which will change how I look at things.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Student Learning
We do use three different databases for assessment: Gradespeed for daily grades, progress reports, and attendence; D2SC for TEKSchecks, semseter exams, and teacher created exams; and last, Blackboard for test, quizzes, and assignments.
To start, Gradespeed is what I use the most. Since students are able to look into thier grades through a special program, my grades are updated 2-3 times a week so that both students and parents know where they stand in the classroom.
While I love D2SC becuase it scores it for you, I hate that you can't automatically enter them into the gradebook. This has part to do because the score given on these assessments are at scaled for a better numeric score for the gradebook.
Last, Blackboard is hard to use with us not having a 1:1 student to laptop ratio in our classroom. While we can do this, students struggle with the technology and are needing to learn this skill.
Overall, I think each of these programs have benefits to them, but wonder about the cost and the ability to sync them all together. I know that IISD has a lot of work to do with the new grading policy coming into affect, but I believe that we will need a more cohesive form of assessment to match the policies.
I believe that D2SC is the best information for collecting student data and using the information for further growth of student learning. I think that the data is informative and allows teachers to see areas of student growth, but like any assessment, it is only as good as the thought that is taken out of it. I believe that some teachers use the data for educational purposes, and others let the data sit. D2SC is the most beneficial for data collection and use because there are so many different data sets made available and they can incorporate new data sets as new benchmarks are given.
To start, Gradespeed is what I use the most. Since students are able to look into thier grades through a special program, my grades are updated 2-3 times a week so that both students and parents know where they stand in the classroom.
While I love D2SC becuase it scores it for you, I hate that you can't automatically enter them into the gradebook. This has part to do because the score given on these assessments are at scaled for a better numeric score for the gradebook.
Last, Blackboard is hard to use with us not having a 1:1 student to laptop ratio in our classroom. While we can do this, students struggle with the technology and are needing to learn this skill.
Overall, I think each of these programs have benefits to them, but wonder about the cost and the ability to sync them all together. I know that IISD has a lot of work to do with the new grading policy coming into affect, but I believe that we will need a more cohesive form of assessment to match the policies.
I believe that D2SC is the best information for collecting student data and using the information for further growth of student learning. I think that the data is informative and allows teachers to see areas of student growth, but like any assessment, it is only as good as the thought that is taken out of it. I believe that some teachers use the data for educational purposes, and others let the data sit. D2SC is the most beneficial for data collection and use because there are so many different data sets made available and they can incorporate new data sets as new benchmarks are given.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Multimedia Add In for Assessment
I have been in training this morning through my district on technology. I found a great program that would be great in the classroom for any subject. It is Google Sketch up and Google Earth as a help mate for Google Sketchup.
It was a great basic course, and I am looking forward to adding it in to our goodie bags as a MTT student!
It was a great basic course, and I am looking forward to adding it in to our goodie bags as a MTT student!
Automated Essay Scorer-Paper Topic
I love being an English teacher most of the time. The time where I really hate being an English teacher is when I have to grade 150 essays in less than a week. I think that the creation of the Automated Essay Scorer is a wonderful invention, but this is also without using it, researching it, or seeing how user friendly it really is.
I have chosen this as my topic becuase there are a lot of teachers in my building that are leary of an automated scorer, and it if will help our middle school students with thier 7th grade TAKS scores. FOr the few that I have looked out, there are a lot that focus more on writing traits, and less on the 1-4 scale score that TAKS uses. We just adopted new literature textbooks in our district, and one of the items that was brought up in supplementary materials.
While the thought is impressive, the question comes, does it work? I am hoping that at the end of this class and through my research, I will be able to see if this is an accurate for of assessment for my building.
I have chosen this as my topic becuase there are a lot of teachers in my building that are leary of an automated scorer, and it if will help our middle school students with thier 7th grade TAKS scores. FOr the few that I have looked out, there are a lot that focus more on writing traits, and less on the 1-4 scale score that TAKS uses. We just adopted new literature textbooks in our district, and one of the items that was brought up in supplementary materials.
While the thought is impressive, the question comes, does it work? I am hoping that at the end of this class and through my research, I will be able to see if this is an accurate for of assessment for my building.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Current Assessment Practices
Assessment is critical to the field of education. Without assessment, we do not know where are students currently are, or where we are to take them in the future. In my classroom, as well in our district, are key on assessment.
Standard testing occurs in my classroom at the end of units to see what the students know and what needs to be retaught. In the 5th and 6th six weeks, we work on building background knowledge of WWII and read literature to help with grammar aspects. In the first four six weeks, when my focus in solely on grammar, after we get through parts of speech, there will be a test to see what is known and not known. We then reteach in mini lessons throughout the school year.
Benchmark testing is essential in my district. These are called TEKS checks and are given on a monthly bases. In my content area, the test in one passage long and has six questions. In my personal opinion, there is not enough data that can be drawn on six questions to truly tell a teacher what a student does or does not know. I am hearing that this will be changing next year, and we will go back to having one a six weeks and then having 12 questions on them. Our curriculum is being rewritten, so our benchmarks will have to allign to those as well.
As a writing teacher, I use portfolios for their writing. We call these, their writing folders, and I add all essays to these folders. If we do a creative writing, I will also add these in. I also let the students determine what they would like to add to their portfolios as well. At the end of the year, I conference with students about where they started and where they currently are and what is needed for high school. This is done within the last two weeks of school.
Project based learning is still something that is rather new to me. We do currently do this in our curriculum when we teach WWII in the 4th six weeks. The students complete a research topic on WWII, and then create a multimedia presentation to show to the class while giving an oral presentation, and then create an expository essay for their topic. I also found this cool website that helps make checklist for PBL. http://pblchecklist.4teachers.org/
Technology used for assessment comes in the form of our benchmarks which can be taken on paper or in a digital format. We can also use blackboard to give quizzes or test. The issue with this is more the lack of availability with computers, versus a desire to want to do them. We also have a way to create our own assessments in TEKS Check, but it is currently only available to reading and math.
Technology standards that are currenlty assessed are:
1) how familiar they are with different applications
2) Copyright information (especially in expository research essay)
3) Solving problems in the programs
I know that I do a whole lot more as well, but those are the three big ones.
My three assessment related goals for my classroom and building are how to add more assessments through technology, focus on PBL for cross-curricular, and to make assessment something that students understand.
I think each of these goals will not only benefit me this next year in the classroom, but also for long term goals of a PhD program.
Standard testing occurs in my classroom at the end of units to see what the students know and what needs to be retaught. In the 5th and 6th six weeks, we work on building background knowledge of WWII and read literature to help with grammar aspects. In the first four six weeks, when my focus in solely on grammar, after we get through parts of speech, there will be a test to see what is known and not known. We then reteach in mini lessons throughout the school year.
Benchmark testing is essential in my district. These are called TEKS checks and are given on a monthly bases. In my content area, the test in one passage long and has six questions. In my personal opinion, there is not enough data that can be drawn on six questions to truly tell a teacher what a student does or does not know. I am hearing that this will be changing next year, and we will go back to having one a six weeks and then having 12 questions on them. Our curriculum is being rewritten, so our benchmarks will have to allign to those as well.
As a writing teacher, I use portfolios for their writing. We call these, their writing folders, and I add all essays to these folders. If we do a creative writing, I will also add these in. I also let the students determine what they would like to add to their portfolios as well. At the end of the year, I conference with students about where they started and where they currently are and what is needed for high school. This is done within the last two weeks of school.
Project based learning is still something that is rather new to me. We do currently do this in our curriculum when we teach WWII in the 4th six weeks. The students complete a research topic on WWII, and then create a multimedia presentation to show to the class while giving an oral presentation, and then create an expository essay for their topic. I also found this cool website that helps make checklist for PBL. http://pblchecklist.4teachers.org/
Technology used for assessment comes in the form of our benchmarks which can be taken on paper or in a digital format. We can also use blackboard to give quizzes or test. The issue with this is more the lack of availability with computers, versus a desire to want to do them. We also have a way to create our own assessments in TEKS Check, but it is currently only available to reading and math.
Technology standards that are currenlty assessed are:
1) how familiar they are with different applications
2) Copyright information (especially in expository research essay)
3) Solving problems in the programs
I know that I do a whole lot more as well, but those are the three big ones.
My three assessment related goals for my classroom and building are how to add more assessments through technology, focus on PBL for cross-curricular, and to make assessment something that students understand.
I think each of these goals will not only benefit me this next year in the classroom, but also for long term goals of a PhD program.
Welcome to Assessment
Good Afternoon! I am looking forward to learning more about assessment this summer and how it can be added to my technology and classroom environment. I am going on the assumption (and yes, I know what assuming does :)) that our essays for this class will be blogs like in the first two classes.
I will be gone on a Mediteranian cruise from June 12-20, so I am trying to go ahead and get a head start on what I can do for the class! Looking forward to meeting/seeing everyone on Friday.
Newby
I will be gone on a Mediteranian cruise from June 12-20, so I am trying to go ahead and get a head start on what I can do for the class! Looking forward to meeting/seeing everyone on Friday.
Newby
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Website
I truly enjoyed creating my own website. I would like to have more control over what is put on my website, but to do this, I haven't found a free way to do it. I like my website becuase it is completely me. While there isn't a lot of background and color changes, that isn't how I run my classroom. I run my classroom to help prepare my 8th grade students for high school and the real world. While I get that you need to keep students engaged, they also need to recognize that life isn't always fun.
There are a few items that are coming soon on my website that I will continue to fix for next school year. While I see this as a great resource, I am not sure how many of my students or their parents would actually view this. Great in theory, but I am not sure about practice in my school.
Overall, I know that I could add more multimedia, but I feel like this assignment, is a growing product as you continue to grow as a teacher.
I hope that you enjoy the website.
http://mrsnewby2010.wikispaces.com/
There are a few items that are coming soon on my website that I will continue to fix for next school year. While I see this as a great resource, I am not sure how many of my students or their parents would actually view this. Great in theory, but I am not sure about practice in my school.
Overall, I know that I could add more multimedia, but I feel like this assignment, is a growing product as you continue to grow as a teacher.
I hope that you enjoy the website.
http://mrsnewby2010.wikispaces.com/
Monday, April 26, 2010
Content Video
While I enjoyed creating the content video, I wish that there was a way that I really knew how to edit and create beyond free editions of items. I think the one thing that I would have changed is the background in the actually shots that I took. Taking them at a soccer game allowed me to complete the video with something my students would enjoy, but the sound did make it harder to create an overlay of voice to read what was going on when the writing went up. The writing is also a little fast at points, but due to the length of the shots, that was unavoidable.
Overall, I loved creating this video and see me using it with my students next year. For the students that will need more time, I will create a still shot or a few from the movie clips to have them on paper to create thier exampes of prepositions.
I am still unsure if the music clip would work but with royalty free, this was the longest clip I could get, then just had to reenter, so it is not perfect, but the music that fit the best to my liking.
Overall, I loved creating this video and see me using it with my students next year. For the students that will need more time, I will create a still shot or a few from the movie clips to have them on paper to create thier exampes of prepositions.
I am still unsure if the music clip would work but with royalty free, this was the longest clip I could get, then just had to reenter, so it is not perfect, but the music that fit the best to my liking.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Digital Data
This past week, I have spent a considerable amount of time trying to get in touch with the correct people at the district trying to find out how IISD stores, organizes, and protects digital data.
Out of the four people that I have tried contacting, only one has contacted me back. I have found out that IISD does a lot to store digital data. This comes as a surprise becuase we have had issues in IISD with breach of confidentiality on teacher's side with financial aspects.
The person that contacted me back dealt with how our district handles secure testing materials with our online curriculum system. Our district specifically makes sure that with our digital data that it is protected. Within our Testing Program each teacher is only able to see only thier students materials. There are sections on the program that also allow for the information of complete school, but with no specific information on any students. Each teacher and student has a specific login and ID that are required to be changed every three months.
Storing our digital data is on a remote server. Confidentiality within our district is important and everything is serviced through passwords.
I was dissapointed in the fact that I tried through multiple channels for days to get the information, but was not available for comment.
Out of the four people that I have tried contacting, only one has contacted me back. I have found out that IISD does a lot to store digital data. This comes as a surprise becuase we have had issues in IISD with breach of confidentiality on teacher's side with financial aspects.
The person that contacted me back dealt with how our district handles secure testing materials with our online curriculum system. Our district specifically makes sure that with our digital data that it is protected. Within our Testing Program each teacher is only able to see only thier students materials. There are sections on the program that also allow for the information of complete school, but with no specific information on any students. Each teacher and student has a specific login and ID that are required to be changed every three months.
Storing our digital data is on a remote server. Confidentiality within our district is important and everything is serviced through passwords.
I was dissapointed in the fact that I tried through multiple channels for days to get the information, but was not available for comment.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Classrooms of the Future
In the future, classrooms will look nothing like they looked like a decade ago, or even what they look like today. As teachers, it is our job to make sure that we are preparing ourselves in technology so that we will be able to teach it.
My dream of the classroom of the future would start with hardware. There must be a one to one ratio with regards to students and laptops. From there, we must be able to provide a way for free wireless internet in the schools and easy access to their homes. While this is a costly adventure, if we want our students prepared for life, they must have these skills.
They also need acess to software that is required for courses. This must be free or very inexpensive if we want technology to be integrated. Today we have Open Office, which is a free document provider, but it is not the same as Microsoft, while they are similar, students need to know how to use the free as well as the paid options.
Every classroom needs to become as close to paperless as possible. With a 1:1 ratio, students will have access at their fingertips to turn in assignmetns and to provide the teacher with what knowledge that they know.
The classroom of the future also has to be able to deal with the pitfalls of technology. They need to be taught how not to steal, hack, or plagarize. This should be the main goal of the teacher, that while we should incorporate technology, our students need to know how to properly use that technology. As cybercrime is become more and more prevelant with K-12 students, they need to know the seriosness behind these crimes.
As for projects of the future, everything should be based around technology. Students should be making movies, podcasts, blogging, and using any new Web 2.0 feature that has been created. This has to have the other hardware as well, but I see the future classroom with no needs for wanting technology.
Classrooms of the future while looking different, I think will also look the same today. Some teachers will implement technology and some won't. Teachers need to be able to see the significance of technology as our world moves to a completely online society.
My dream of the classroom of the future would start with hardware. There must be a one to one ratio with regards to students and laptops. From there, we must be able to provide a way for free wireless internet in the schools and easy access to their homes. While this is a costly adventure, if we want our students prepared for life, they must have these skills.
They also need acess to software that is required for courses. This must be free or very inexpensive if we want technology to be integrated. Today we have Open Office, which is a free document provider, but it is not the same as Microsoft, while they are similar, students need to know how to use the free as well as the paid options.
Every classroom needs to become as close to paperless as possible. With a 1:1 ratio, students will have access at their fingertips to turn in assignmetns and to provide the teacher with what knowledge that they know.
The classroom of the future also has to be able to deal with the pitfalls of technology. They need to be taught how not to steal, hack, or plagarize. This should be the main goal of the teacher, that while we should incorporate technology, our students need to know how to properly use that technology. As cybercrime is become more and more prevelant with K-12 students, they need to know the seriosness behind these crimes.
As for projects of the future, everything should be based around technology. Students should be making movies, podcasts, blogging, and using any new Web 2.0 feature that has been created. This has to have the other hardware as well, but I see the future classroom with no needs for wanting technology.
Classrooms of the future while looking different, I think will also look the same today. Some teachers will implement technology and some won't. Teachers need to be able to see the significance of technology as our world moves to a completely online society.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Videos
I love that we got to create videos. It was a little difficult for me to do it at first. I have a Kodak video camera that only downloads as MOV's so it wouldn't go into Movie Maker. I then got my trusty Nikon Cool Pix and took the shots.
Overall, Movie Maker is easy for me, but I did stress over the different shots that we were expected to take.
I am still stressing about my next video on content, becuase I am so unsure of what I am going to do for that too.
Overall, Movie Maker is easy for me, but I did stress over the different shots that we were expected to take.
I am still stressing about my next video on content, becuase I am so unsure of what I am going to do for that too.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
GeoTech 2010
First and foremost, WOW! I had so much fun today and learned so many things that I wasn't aware of before today. I am kind of sad that I won't be here Saturday with you guys! Melinda was with me today and we went to the same sessions, so I am looking forward to see what she posts about today as well. I went to two different sessions (only offered two today) one on intro to GIS and one on Literacy in the classroom.
Intro to GIS:
This is all about Maps! I loved it, even as an English teacher. There are a lot of cool free items that you can use and I will add those later, but wanted to let you know that as a history teacher, this is something you should definately think about. As an English teacher, I will use the maps to work through literature. There are also a lot of science themese that are talked about in literature that will be dealt with that students are not always sure of.
Literacy:
A lot of the information wasn't new to me, but allowed me to think of multimedia in a different format. Don't use technology to add more to your work schedule, but do something different with what you already do. I think what I learned that I want to do more about is a digital portfolio. I feel like this is the one thing that I have slacked about in my career. I am also thinking that I will be doing more for Wiki spaces in my classroom to prepare for next year with my students. We have new curriculum coming out next year and that leads to a lot of new items that I want to make available for my students.
Overall, a great day at GeoTech and looking forward to tomorrow!
Intro to GIS:
This is all about Maps! I loved it, even as an English teacher. There are a lot of cool free items that you can use and I will add those later, but wanted to let you know that as a history teacher, this is something you should definately think about. As an English teacher, I will use the maps to work through literature. There are also a lot of science themese that are talked about in literature that will be dealt with that students are not always sure of.
Literacy:
A lot of the information wasn't new to me, but allowed me to think of multimedia in a different format. Don't use technology to add more to your work schedule, but do something different with what you already do. I think what I learned that I want to do more about is a digital portfolio. I feel like this is the one thing that I have slacked about in my career. I am also thinking that I will be doing more for Wiki spaces in my classroom to prepare for next year with my students. We have new curriculum coming out next year and that leads to a lot of new items that I want to make available for my students.
Overall, a great day at GeoTech and looking forward to tomorrow!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Teacher Tube
This week has been a rough week at school. I have dropped my failure rate by 40% in the last three days and am exhausted. I told my husband that I needed this weekend to catch up on my Master's classes. Now that the last student has left my classroom, Audacity is done, I know get to look at video's. I love teacher tube, because it allows me to find videos that I can use in my classroom that are appropriate and remind me of my childhood growing up in classes.
I am originally certified in ACSI with 6-12 in English, History, and Bible. For me, teaching English is only as fun as when it can be taught in context. History by far is a love in my life, and this video is one that can be used to build cross-curricular lessons with English and History. History for the content and English for the Rap.
Enjoy!
This is a great one that would help U.S. History in 8th grade.
I am originally certified in ACSI with 6-12 in English, History, and Bible. For me, teaching English is only as fun as when it can be taught in context. History by far is a love in my life, and this video is one that can be used to build cross-curricular lessons with English and History. History for the content and English for the Rap.
Enjoy!
This is a great one that would help U.S. History in 8th grade.
Audacity
I love Audacity and have used in before, so this assignment was rather easy for me. The harderst part for me was finding music that went with my audio to help incorporate it into my Glog.
I know that for some people, it is weird hearing your own voice, and that was something, I just had to get over so that I could do the project and to be able to present it to my classes. While it might sound weird to me, my students hear it all the time.
We are required in our district to be using technology with our students each semester and last semester I had students use Audacity to create a horror story and go through the elements that a horror story has. My students enjoyed this project, except when it came to Audacity not wanting to reopen correctly. We decided instead to just read them to the class, and scrap the project due to time.
I liek the fact that I work in a district that is so open to technology, but on the other hand, I feel like it eats up so much of my time to teach the concept, use the technology, and trouble shoot, when the time just isn't available. I am working harder this year in making it more adaptable and easy to merge into my class. I love this class and all that I am learning.
I know that for some people, it is weird hearing your own voice, and that was something, I just had to get over so that I could do the project and to be able to present it to my classes. While it might sound weird to me, my students hear it all the time.
We are required in our district to be using technology with our students each semester and last semester I had students use Audacity to create a horror story and go through the elements that a horror story has. My students enjoyed this project, except when it came to Audacity not wanting to reopen correctly. We decided instead to just read them to the class, and scrap the project due to time.
I liek the fact that I work in a district that is so open to technology, but on the other hand, I feel like it eats up so much of my time to teach the concept, use the technology, and trouble shoot, when the time just isn't available. I am working harder this year in making it more adaptable and easy to merge into my class. I love this class and all that I am learning.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Venting and Animation Frustration
I loved using Alice to create my animation, but I do have to admit, getting it to export the video has been very frustrating. I did do a Jing of it, and followed all of the advice that I have been given, but it still won't create a video. It seems to not want to go after my video/sound. Is anyone else having this issue.
I have downloaded all that it says to download and then am still working on the other tasks, but I feel like everytime I go to Export Video, it hates me. Yes, I know computers don't have feelings and can't portray hatred, but it make me frutrated.
On a good note, I do know how to use Audacity and created my scrpit, again, I am aftraid of things being longer than the amount, but I used it for a project in my classroom. I also was able to teach my kids the phrase, "Killing two birds with one stone."
Any advice would be welcomed, but also thanks for just letting me vent.
I have downloaded all that it says to download and then am still working on the other tasks, but I feel like everytime I go to Export Video, it hates me. Yes, I know computers don't have feelings and can't portray hatred, but it make me frutrated.
On a good note, I do know how to use Audacity and created my scrpit, again, I am aftraid of things being longer than the amount, but I used it for a project in my classroom. I also was able to teach my kids the phrase, "Killing two birds with one stone."
Any advice would be welcomed, but also thanks for just letting me vent.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Animation
I was scared by animation when I first saw that this would be a requirement for this class. After watching some of the video's on atomic learning, I just plain wanted to cry. Luckily, we had the option of www.alice.org. This was the most exciting part of animation for me.
Alice.org is a great program that allowed me to feel comfortable with animation. I am looking forward to playing with it a little bit longer and then allowing myself to go a little further to a more complex animation program.
I think that this program allowed me to know that animation isn't as hard as I thought that it would be and it was fun. I worked on this while I was visiting with my inlaws on our snow day, and my mother-in-law loved watching me create my animation because it was fun.
The hard part for me was limiting it to 5-10 seconds, which I still haven't done, because I want to keep adding more. I can definately see my students having fun with this program. The issue is more that I am unsure if we would be able to download the program on our student laptops. This will be a lot of talking to figure this out.
By the end of this, I think that I will be a lover of animation!
Alice.org is a great program that allowed me to feel comfortable with animation. I am looking forward to playing with it a little bit longer and then allowing myself to go a little further to a more complex animation program.
I think that this program allowed me to know that animation isn't as hard as I thought that it would be and it was fun. I worked on this while I was visiting with my inlaws on our snow day, and my mother-in-law loved watching me create my animation because it was fun.
The hard part for me was limiting it to 5-10 seconds, which I still haven't done, because I want to keep adding more. I can definately see my students having fun with this program. The issue is more that I am unsure if we would be able to download the program on our student laptops. This will be a lot of talking to figure this out.
By the end of this, I think that I will be a lover of animation!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Wikipedia
I think that the Richardson chapter was one of the hardest that I have had to read, because as an English teacher who does research, I don't recommend Wikipedia to my students. While there were some great arguments and a lot of information that I have doubled checked, the thought that people can just change an article, scares me as a teacher.
I think that as a whole Wiki's are a great addition to the Web 2.0 generation where there is a complete example of what collaboration is. I like the idea of having a class wiki where the students can collaborate on a full set of curriculum. I think as a teacher, this would be great for a school to have to produce an example of what it looks like to work in a open concept learning environment.
I have never participated in a Wiki before, but have had different trainings on it. I think that Richardson does a great job of presenting the concepts of Wiki's to allow for a teacher to make a well-informed decision. Overall, I like the concept of Wiki's in the world of education, but believe that if someone is doing research, Wikipedia cannot be the only source that they look at.
I think that as a whole Wiki's are a great addition to the Web 2.0 generation where there is a complete example of what collaboration is. I like the idea of having a class wiki where the students can collaborate on a full set of curriculum. I think as a teacher, this would be great for a school to have to produce an example of what it looks like to work in a open concept learning environment.
I have never participated in a Wiki before, but have had different trainings on it. I think that Richardson does a great job of presenting the concepts of Wiki's to allow for a teacher to make a well-informed decision. Overall, I like the concept of Wiki's in the world of education, but believe that if someone is doing research, Wikipedia cannot be the only source that they look at.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
TeleParent--Jing--Take 2
Sound wasn't working on the first one. Here is the one with sound!
Hope you enjoyed!
Hope you enjoyed!
TeleParent-Jing Video
Here is my first Jing Video. In Irving, we have a great program called TeleParent that is an automated calling center for us. Here is my description:
Hope this worked!
Hope this worked!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Jing-Bonus Bank #1: Glogster: Still Shots
I have to admit that Jing scared me a little bit when it was introduced on Saturday, but I am seeing it more and more as a great resource. To help explain Glogster to everyone, I am going to practice with Jing to capture some screen shots. I am still working on how to get the video worked, so this will be my first shot at it, hopefully it works.
Glogster is an online posterboard that students can use for a presentation in class.
The best part about it is that the students can link to each other and then be able to comment on one anothers. I love glogster and it was so easy to use Jing on this to be able to show you guys what I have been talking about in the past.
Glogster is an online posterboard that students can use for a presentation in class.
The best part about it is that the students can link to each other and then be able to comment on one anothers. I love glogster and it was so easy to use Jing on this to be able to show you guys what I have been talking about in the past.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Blogging
I like to blog and have been blogging in my personal life for over a year and enjoy the freedom that it gives me to just write my thoughts. As I have been reading through the Richardson book, I have noticed so many different thoughts of what blogging is really meant to be.
While I know others have been writing about that, I think the item in the book is this quote, "They develop hypertext minds. They leap around. It's as though their cognitive structures were parallel, not seuential" (Prensky, 2001a). I think this is key to me being a teacher in this new generation. I have to realize that they do not think in the linear way that I was thought in and the way that I teach in. I think that this is one of my biggest struggles in the world of technology today. I am so much not like the generation of today.
Even though, I am not that much older than my students, I feel generations older when it comes to the way that teaching was and is becoming.
I look forward to reading more of Richardson's book and learning from this.
Newby
While I know others have been writing about that, I think the item in the book is this quote, "They develop hypertext minds. They leap around. It's as though their cognitive structures were parallel, not seuential" (Prensky, 2001a). I think this is key to me being a teacher in this new generation. I have to realize that they do not think in the linear way that I was thought in and the way that I teach in. I think that this is one of my biggest struggles in the world of technology today. I am so much not like the generation of today.
Even though, I am not that much older than my students, I feel generations older when it comes to the way that teaching was and is becoming.
I look forward to reading more of Richardson's book and learning from this.
Newby
Friday, January 22, 2010
Post #1: Lesson Accelerators
Since we have had some issues with our own subscriptions to Lesson Accelerators, I thought that I would copy and paste them while at SMU this past weekend and focus on what I could get out of them.
I looked at two lessons: Photo Story 3 and Audacity. These are both programs that we have in our district and that our students have used at least once. They are no way pros at them and neither am I. I think that Atomic Learning is a great site to help teachers with all different types of technology. I found the same to be true with Lesson Accelerators.
The first lesson that I looked at was for Photo Story 3. What I loved the most about this project is that it can be adapted to fit any subject in any type of classroom. My favorite part about this project is that it is simple to follow and would be easy to adapt to the classroom or to a staff development meeting. I like the tasks line item that is given because it allows for an easy checklist.
Task List
The tasks to be completed for this project include:
Import and arrange images in the application timeline.
Edit images, as needed.
Add motion and transitions.
Add titles and other text.
Add voice narration and music.
Export the finished project to the appropriate format.
In my classroom, I am working on World War II to set up my class for the novels that we will be reading. While I was going to use a Glogster to allow my students to present, this would be just as easy and would allow for different projects to emerge based on the student.
The second lesson that I looked at was for Audacity. What I loved about Audacity is that it too can be adapted to any subject. For me and my classroom, I would use Audacity to help make podcasts to help prepare for semester exams. I would have students work in groups and then create a podcast that would help the class study for the semester exam. I think that what I would like to do is then let each class have different topics and then by random assignment, let them decide as a group which one to pick. For me, audacity allows for a lot of extensions and that is a good part to the lesson accelerator.
I am not sure that I have fully grasped lesson accelerators due to lack of time to be able to really negotiate around the site due to our limitations at this time, but I am looking forward to playing around more later.
I looked at two lessons: Photo Story 3 and Audacity. These are both programs that we have in our district and that our students have used at least once. They are no way pros at them and neither am I. I think that Atomic Learning is a great site to help teachers with all different types of technology. I found the same to be true with Lesson Accelerators.
The first lesson that I looked at was for Photo Story 3. What I loved the most about this project is that it can be adapted to fit any subject in any type of classroom. My favorite part about this project is that it is simple to follow and would be easy to adapt to the classroom or to a staff development meeting. I like the tasks line item that is given because it allows for an easy checklist.
Task List
The tasks to be completed for this project include:
Import and arrange images in the application timeline.
Edit images, as needed.
Add motion and transitions.
Add titles and other text.
Add voice narration and music.
Export the finished project to the appropriate format.
In my classroom, I am working on World War II to set up my class for the novels that we will be reading. While I was going to use a Glogster to allow my students to present, this would be just as easy and would allow for different projects to emerge based on the student.
The second lesson that I looked at was for Audacity. What I loved about Audacity is that it too can be adapted to any subject. For me and my classroom, I would use Audacity to help make podcasts to help prepare for semester exams. I would have students work in groups and then create a podcast that would help the class study for the semester exam. I think that what I would like to do is then let each class have different topics and then by random assignment, let them decide as a group which one to pick. For me, audacity allows for a lot of extensions and that is a good part to the lesson accelerator.
I am not sure that I have fully grasped lesson accelerators due to lack of time to be able to really negotiate around the site due to our limitations at this time, but I am looking forward to playing around more later.
EDU 6384: Welcome to Multimedia
First post of the new semester and the next course in the MTT program. I am looking forward to the class and what I will learn about Multimedia and how I can bring that back into my classroom to be an effective technology teacher.
I am looking forward to learning from each of the other students and from Dr. Smolka.
I'll be blogging soon!
I am looking forward to learning from each of the other students and from Dr. Smolka.
I'll be blogging soon!
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