I am taking a weather and global climate change course and found this wonderful site
Stanford Solar Center. It is an excellent addition to an Earth science course. The educator page as 25 activities. The student page has a good interactive and two videos plus quizzes. This site went online in 2008.
eNature is an online field guide site. I did a quick register, only email address and zip code. The site actually gave me the birds and audio to their songs. Wow, I could have used this extensive (over 220 for western NY alone) collection when I did my birding for the summer grad course. Oh well.
Hope you enjoy perusing these. Have you found any treasures online?
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
New tech...maybe
Last week I asked if I could get the students registered to gmail and use google docs to turn in assignments. I found out that a student years ago did something that got student email accounts cut across the district. Yesterday there was a big meeting with the "powers" and they may give the privilege to the high school students. I have stuck to my plans to turn in their first inquiry lab electronically. Some did type at home and will email it. the others will deposit it into my folder at school.
I should hear soon the outcome of the meeting. There are many of us that are forward thinking tech users and that thrills our equally forward thinking IT department. The kids are thinking about the entire technology thing, one student bought his first jump drive so he could do more of his work at home and school.
In my other class, I used slideboom to post my power points on the blog and kids are actually using them. So far so good...........
I should hear soon the outcome of the meeting. There are many of us that are forward thinking tech users and that thrills our equally forward thinking IT department. The kids are thinking about the entire technology thing, one student bought his first jump drive so he could do more of his work at home and school.
In my other class, I used slideboom to post my power points on the blog and kids are actually using them. So far so good...........
Saturday, September 19, 2009
two weeks and they love the tech
Hello everyone who happens to still be following. I have to tell you the wiki is a great hit. kids are logging on at home, coming in before the school day starts to get on to do an assignment. They send messages to each other via the comments at the bottom of the page. I had it up for open house and they jumped on to show their parents and siblings.
My challenge now is to keep it fresh and interesting. of course they will help. When they turn in their reports from the owl pellets inquiry lab I will post all of them on the wiki and they will comment on at least two, giving good feedback (one good, one needs improving). I did get all the students their own passwords from pbworks so I can track all edits. It works great.
They did listen to the voicethread (under Ecology Unit in the directory) and thought it was "way cool" Only one headphone set up didn't work but tech is on it. I paid $10 for the extra priveliges so now I have to figure out how to get them to sign in and comment. They will also make their own.
My 20week biology class is not into the blog at all. So I am using it strictly for adding my power points and assignments. It worked great the first day a student needed notes. I sent her to the computer and she got on the blog and took notes from the ppt that I embedded using slideboom.
I think this will be more for direct content from class instead of dialogue which is ok. Maybe some will get use to it and I will get some postings.
If anyone can help with the voicethread account please let me know.
How is your foray into technology going this year?
My challenge now is to keep it fresh and interesting. of course they will help. When they turn in their reports from the owl pellets inquiry lab I will post all of them on the wiki and they will comment on at least two, giving good feedback (one good, one needs improving). I did get all the students their own passwords from pbworks so I can track all edits. It works great.
They did listen to the voicethread (under Ecology Unit in the directory) and thought it was "way cool" Only one headphone set up didn't work but tech is on it. I paid $10 for the extra priveliges so now I have to figure out how to get them to sign in and comment. They will also make their own.
My 20week biology class is not into the blog at all. So I am using it strictly for adding my power points and assignments. It worked great the first day a student needed notes. I sent her to the computer and she got on the blog and took notes from the ppt that I embedded using slideboom.
I think this will be more for direct content from class instead of dialogue which is ok. Maybe some will get use to it and I will get some postings.
If anyone can help with the voicethread account please let me know.
How is your foray into technology going this year?
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
working the tech in the class
I spent the past two days in my room. Today was the first teacher day. We do wellness activities- everyone even administration! of the 20 activities (bowling, archery, dodge ball, biking included) I selected aerobics and a walk through our historic cemetery in town. We had full staff and building meetings. for teachers it was really like the first day of school- seeing everyone after the long summer. A great day despite the construction still not being done!
The teacher I am working with did her wiki and unveiled it today. It was great. Now we are wondering how to get kids to use it. Our questions are do they have to register with pbworks, our hosting site? Can we give them codes to get sign in? Do I have to sign up for the annual fee for management? I thought I saw $10 one time to allow for some management now I don't see it.
It will be quite a challenge to make it work.
We sent in labs for copies today- all total...over 400 copies for the first 3 days. We are even doing some class copies that require only 20 copies. A paperless classroom is still my desire but how?
here are some thoughts--
all written work must be turned in electronically
quizzes done in a e-document
I would appreciate any other thoughts. I would love to do labs electronically but the state says we need to have copies saved for years., just in case they want to see them!
The teacher I am working with did her wiki and unveiled it today. It was great. Now we are wondering how to get kids to use it. Our questions are do they have to register with pbworks, our hosting site? Can we give them codes to get sign in? Do I have to sign up for the annual fee for management? I thought I saw $10 one time to allow for some management now I don't see it.
It will be quite a challenge to make it work.
We sent in labs for copies today- all total...over 400 copies for the first 3 days. We are even doing some class copies that require only 20 copies. A paperless classroom is still my desire but how?
here are some thoughts--
all written work must be turned in electronically
quizzes done in a e-document
I would appreciate any other thoughts. I would love to do labs electronically but the state says we need to have copies saved for years., just in case they want to see them!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Mid August and Fabulous Quotes
The photo is a crane that landed high in the trees by our local creek.The first afternoon I actually sat and did nothing was strange!! I kept saying "I really have nothing that I have to do" No blog to update, tweet to post, site to find, question to answer, tech to play with, I think this is what they call summer vacation. Wow. I need to enjoy it- I only have a few more weeks of it. Loved my summer courses, now how to implement them into the class.
Spent time in the classroom yesterday getting boxes put away and setting up my new desk.The contruction has not gone smoothly (last week all the lights in 3 rooms fell, mine included) There is dust everywhere and a hired cleaning crew coming in to clean (again). Roof is not finished, tiles in the main hall are 80% done and the office staff did move back into the building. Will it all be finished by September??? Maybe not!
ON the tech side...I will not have my smartboard until Nov, maybe December. After using it all last year now I have to rethink and find overheads. Any video from youtube will be blocked for students and with no smartboad I can't show them. Uggg. What will I really be able to do technology wise is up in the air a little.
Found a great quote for the classroom ecology unit that our 40 week class is starting with-
"In the end, we will conserve only what we love.
We will love only what we understand.
We will understand only what we are taught." - Babi Dioun, African ecologist
Any one else use great quotes in the classroom? I am thinking of posting it over the main board.
We will love only what we understand.
We will understand only what we are taught." - Babi Dioun, African ecologist
Any one else use great quotes in the classroom? I am thinking of posting it over the main board.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Reflections
I have really enjoyed this class. I have also grumbled and complained along the way. It really is so much work in such a short time frame. I was able to explore about 90% of the material that we were given in class. Some are earmarked for further investigation, like online inquiry.
My PLN has been wonderful. I did not think there would actually be relevance in my twittering and I do enjoy the quick notes that lead me through the web to sites I would never have been before. It is such a habit now to check my google reader that I will definitly continue with it. I am also interested to add to my network as teachers get back in the swing of the school year. I know I won't be alone in my technology world, many of the teachers i work with are receptive. Some are doing blogs and wikis for the first time this year.
One of the testimonials that I read over and over about the MSSE program was the high caliber of the particpants. It is so true. All of you are dedicated professionals that add immensly to the learning process. I really learned because you pushed me, challenged me and pulled me along. I hope you will keep blogging and twittering, sharing your thoughts and how your classrooms are doing.
The class is definitly a stretch timewise. I have never spent so much time online before, hours and hours at a sitting. But the payoff has been beyond what I could have dreamed. I love the projects I have ready for my students and I am looking forward to the new year.
I am also ready to sign up for my new fall MSU course. A few weeks off then right back at it. The joys of being a life long learner.
Thank you Eric for all your work, enjoy the rest of the summer.
My PLN has been wonderful. I did not think there would actually be relevance in my twittering and I do enjoy the quick notes that lead me through the web to sites I would never have been before. It is such a habit now to check my google reader that I will definitly continue with it. I am also interested to add to my network as teachers get back in the swing of the school year. I know I won't be alone in my technology world, many of the teachers i work with are receptive. Some are doing blogs and wikis for the first time this year.
One of the testimonials that I read over and over about the MSSE program was the high caliber of the particpants. It is so true. All of you are dedicated professionals that add immensly to the learning process. I really learned because you pushed me, challenged me and pulled me along. I hope you will keep blogging and twittering, sharing your thoughts and how your classrooms are doing.
The class is definitly a stretch timewise. I have never spent so much time online before, hours and hours at a sitting. But the payoff has been beyond what I could have dreamed. I love the projects I have ready for my students and I am looking forward to the new year.
I am also ready to sign up for my new fall MSU course. A few weeks off then right back at it. The joys of being a life long learner.
Thank you Eric for all your work, enjoy the rest of the summer.
Final Guiding Principles
I realized it was time to really look at my principles. When I first wrote about them (30 blogs ago!) I was just starting out, didn't have my PLN and didn't know the fast paced life I would be leading in this course. I go into the school year excited but reminding myself that technology might be fun but is it accomplishing what I need it to in the classroom.
1. The tech needs to be aligned with the content standards. I want to use technology as a tool to bring better understanding to my students. This means looking at the content they need to know and deciding how to present it, what tool will accomplish this best. Old things in new ways are good.
2. The technology needs to be student centered. I want my students to want to learn and this is not always the case. If the tools I use in the classroom force them to take the reins and giude their own learning that is a huge positive. Ownership of the learning comes when students possess the tools, dig for the knowledge, and produce a product they are proud of.
3. The technology needs to be relevant. Teaching high school now makes me mindful that these students will soon be college students and entering the work force. Will the technology that I teach them be useful? I was them to see relevance in what they do in class to what their future looks like. Also it needs to be relevant to the global world. Our students need to think beyond our samll county borders (tough to do in small town) and beyond our state and national borders as well.
4. The technology should work toward inquiry. Inquiry based learning in the sciences is the not in the future it is now. It is proven that inquiry based learning is more relevant and meaningful. Can the technology I choose facilitate inquiry? This is where the data bases and inquiry projects online will work well.
5. The teacher needs to master the technology first. I do not want to get excited about a technology and pass it along without fully understanding the ins and outs of it. This will require time and effort on my part and may only allow me to add in small bits but I will add quality when I hand the technology to my students. It is important that I can help them, many will be fearfull of something new.
1. The tech needs to be aligned with the content standards. I want to use technology as a tool to bring better understanding to my students. This means looking at the content they need to know and deciding how to present it, what tool will accomplish this best. Old things in new ways are good.
2. The technology needs to be student centered. I want my students to want to learn and this is not always the case. If the tools I use in the classroom force them to take the reins and giude their own learning that is a huge positive. Ownership of the learning comes when students possess the tools, dig for the knowledge, and produce a product they are proud of.
3. The technology needs to be relevant. Teaching high school now makes me mindful that these students will soon be college students and entering the work force. Will the technology that I teach them be useful? I was them to see relevance in what they do in class to what their future looks like. Also it needs to be relevant to the global world. Our students need to think beyond our samll county borders (tough to do in small town) and beyond our state and national borders as well.
4. The technology should work toward inquiry. Inquiry based learning in the sciences is the not in the future it is now. It is proven that inquiry based learning is more relevant and meaningful. Can the technology I choose facilitate inquiry? This is where the data bases and inquiry projects online will work well.
5. The teacher needs to master the technology first. I do not want to get excited about a technology and pass it along without fully understanding the ins and outs of it. This will require time and effort on my part and may only allow me to add in small bits but I will add quality when I hand the technology to my students. It is important that I can help them, many will be fearfull of something new.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
My Projects
1. Class Wiki created on PBWorks. I am only using a wiki for one class. I will refine my use of the wiki with them, learning as I go how to use it best for my content. I have tried to organize it so that it is easy to follow. The directory will get them to the page they need. Separate groups will be easier to manage. The wonderful thing about a wiki is nothing is set in stone. I can change things up if I need to. I will have their names within the next few weeks to insert into Group A or B. I will not have a separate page for each unless the students grow comfortable with the technology. For projects that require smaller group work I can add pages as the need arises. The school has worked this summer to have a new layout for student folders that are easily accessed for any class and by any teacher. I don't want to duplicate anything and make it more work for students so they will keep work in the folder and post final copies to the Wiki. I will have the syllabus page complete after a few meetings next week with my co- teacher and my goal is to have all labs entered into the lab folder and link them with the syllabus. The resource page will be an ongoing page as the year rolls. Hopefully students will use and contribute to it as an extra source of information.
I need to have a formal procedural sheet for students and parents. I know I have seen a few. When I find one I like I will post it and students will need to sign off on it. I am concerned with tampering but the wiki will be closed and they will need to sign in so theoretically I will know who edits what.
Students will be expected in college to learn online, even with regular classes so much is done online. It is my goal to demonstrate they can all participate and learn from each other using this online tool.
2. Energy Transfer Project I have always been bothered by student power point presentations, even students in college. Most students will do exactly what you are not suppose to do. Well, high school is the time to learn how to do it correctly. For the ecology unit students need to understand energy flow through the ecosystem. To select the environment I would like to have students use Google Earth but I am leary about incorporating too much into one project. I have posted the excellent video, How not to use PowerPoint and given them an example of a presentation from slideboom. Students will also learn to use a file sharing site like slideboom.com which I am hoping they will use in other classes.
Objective- Students will select an ecosystem and create a presentation of the food chain and webs within the system.
3. Pathogen Project This will be part of our Homeostasis Unit and use glogster as the presentation tool. I created a glog for cholera that is about what I am looking for but I may only show them then take it off. I want them to be creative and not follow my example. Our school has been emphasizing student writing abilities and so for this project I will have them write a small article for a travel magazine (or appropriate medium) about the disease with the poster as the visual. There will be two rubrics.
Objective- Students will describe how a specific pathogen causes a failure of homeostasis leading to disease. Students will detail how the body fails and the prevention measures taken including vaccinations. They will create an education poster and summarize the information in a written article.
4. ACS Biology This is the blog I will use for my other two classes. It will be shared by myself and another teacher. I am not sure how to keep the classes separate. I will refine this as we go. I also wanted to gauge their online use. I created a poll that students will take the first few days.
5. The Voicethreads are amazing. I have posted one for students to comment on for the Wiki, at the bottom of the page and will embed it into the blog as well. I want to keep these fresh so I may only use one a unit. There will come a time when I want the students to create a thread themselves but I am not sure where yet. As I get my material and objectives set for the year, I am sure I will find a place for student-created voicethreads.
I need to have a formal procedural sheet for students and parents. I know I have seen a few. When I find one I like I will post it and students will need to sign off on it. I am concerned with tampering but the wiki will be closed and they will need to sign in so theoretically I will know who edits what.
Students will be expected in college to learn online, even with regular classes so much is done online. It is my goal to demonstrate they can all participate and learn from each other using this online tool.
2. Energy Transfer Project I have always been bothered by student power point presentations, even students in college. Most students will do exactly what you are not suppose to do. Well, high school is the time to learn how to do it correctly. For the ecology unit students need to understand energy flow through the ecosystem. To select the environment I would like to have students use Google Earth but I am leary about incorporating too much into one project. I have posted the excellent video, How not to use PowerPoint and given them an example of a presentation from slideboom. Students will also learn to use a file sharing site like slideboom.com which I am hoping they will use in other classes.
Objective- Students will select an ecosystem and create a presentation of the food chain and webs within the system.
3. Pathogen Project This will be part of our Homeostasis Unit and use glogster as the presentation tool. I created a glog for cholera that is about what I am looking for but I may only show them then take it off. I want them to be creative and not follow my example. Our school has been emphasizing student writing abilities and so for this project I will have them write a small article for a travel magazine (or appropriate medium) about the disease with the poster as the visual. There will be two rubrics.
Objective- Students will describe how a specific pathogen causes a failure of homeostasis leading to disease. Students will detail how the body fails and the prevention measures taken including vaccinations. They will create an education poster and summarize the information in a written article.
4. ACS Biology This is the blog I will use for my other two classes. It will be shared by myself and another teacher. I am not sure how to keep the classes separate. I will refine this as we go. I also wanted to gauge their online use. I created a poll that students will take the first few days.
5. The Voicethreads are amazing. I have posted one for students to comment on for the Wiki, at the bottom of the page and will embed it into the blog as well. I want to keep these fresh so I may only use one a unit. There will come a time when I want the students to create a thread themselves but I am not sure where yet. As I get my material and objectives set for the year, I am sure I will find a place for student-created voicethreads.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
this week,7 PLN and webinars
I have not had time to sign up for a live webinar. I did one a few years ago because of my work in a research lab and it was great. I checked out the 3 session GoWildwithWiki on Edublogs live. Very good. It really showed me that cooperation among groups working on projects needs to be set up first. If adults have a hard time collaborating in this webinar then so much more for students. Role assignment is important before beginning the Wiki work. Actually I will do a short discussion on cooperative groups and even practice with a short activity. The webinar was goo for me to see how others, unfamiliar with the technology stuggle to make it work. I will know what to anticipate in my students.
My PLN was not nurtured much this week. Busy with the Irish festival and any extra time was spent on the projects. There are those on my network that I know will update often and be relevant for me so when pressed for time these are the ones I hit. This past week I learned a little more about Diigo thanks to Clif. Personally, I am trying to incorporate some of the new tools we learned from class without adding anymore to my bag. My delicious account serves me well and I can find the newer tools like Diigo when I have time and my brain is not so full.
I was surprised that I missed Twittering. There were actually times when I thought it would be nice to do it from my phone. That thought was thankfully very short and gone before I could act on it. Did you read the USA Today article on twittering? Intersting stuff.
It is such a habit now to check my PLN at least every other day that I think I will probably continue after this class. I also look forward to learning something new each day. I will spend some time reorganizing my twitter followings. Some have been not so informaitonal. I really don't want a total glimpse into someones life, just something relevant. I tweet with a few friends and personal family things are ok and even relevant but I like my twittering for education purposes to stick to education, especially if they represent a company.
My PLN was not nurtured much this week. Busy with the Irish festival and any extra time was spent on the projects. There are those on my network that I know will update often and be relevant for me so when pressed for time these are the ones I hit. This past week I learned a little more about Diigo thanks to Clif. Personally, I am trying to incorporate some of the new tools we learned from class without adding anymore to my bag. My delicious account serves me well and I can find the newer tools like Diigo when I have time and my brain is not so full.
I was surprised that I missed Twittering. There were actually times when I thought it would be nice to do it from my phone. That thought was thankfully very short and gone before I could act on it. Did you read the USA Today article on twittering? Intersting stuff.
It is such a habit now to check my PLN at least every other day that I think I will probably continue after this class. I also look forward to learning something new each day. I will spend some time reorganizing my twitter followings. Some have been not so informaitonal. I really don't want a total glimpse into someones life, just something relevant. I tweet with a few friends and personal family things are ok and even relevant but I like my twittering for education purposes to stick to education, especially if they represent a company.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
My Projects...so far
After 3 days of ranting and raving(uploading/downloading nightmare)...just ask my husband...I have something to smile about. I have fallen in love with my wiki!!
I chose to start one on PBworks. There are some things that I am not happy with, not enough pizzaz but I don't want to pay yet. I enjoyed getting the pages set up and even got projects and a lab posted. My wiki name is nothing special but maybe the kids can help come up with a better one.
I selected PBworks because of my PLN- Classroom 2.0 discussion on the best wiki site. I also decided after "talking" with Tom that I would only use one wiki per class and divide the class up. There might be a way to link wiki's togther but I think I may only start with one class. I am using my voicethread as an assignment and I plan on making at least 4 of these this year. I totally think these are cool! My goal is really to have the students begin to make them.
The last project I need to do it the class blog. These are always fun to put together and I would like to have the instructions for a glogster project for the virus unit.
We are on the road again tomorrow for the Dublin Irish Festival in Dublin Ohio. The second largest in the country. It is amazing. We are working the festival with a friend who has a food stand. It will be a working vacation.
Funny thing while I was at the family reunion...I was updating my twitter and blog pages and my neice Mikayla, 9yrs old, asked if she could follow me. She had her own twitter already!! It is a great way for her and I to stay in touch. I showed her the picnik site and by the next day she had registered and done some work on family photos. Anything I learn now she wants to know about it. Only 9 and totally into web 2.0!
I chose to start one on PBworks. There are some things that I am not happy with, not enough pizzaz but I don't want to pay yet. I enjoyed getting the pages set up and even got projects and a lab posted. My wiki name is nothing special but maybe the kids can help come up with a better one.
I selected PBworks because of my PLN- Classroom 2.0 discussion on the best wiki site. I also decided after "talking" with Tom that I would only use one wiki per class and divide the class up. There might be a way to link wiki's togther but I think I may only start with one class. I am using my voicethread as an assignment and I plan on making at least 4 of these this year. I totally think these are cool! My goal is really to have the students begin to make them.
The last project I need to do it the class blog. These are always fun to put together and I would like to have the instructions for a glogster project for the virus unit.
We are on the road again tomorrow for the Dublin Irish Festival in Dublin Ohio. The second largest in the country. It is amazing. We are working the festival with a friend who has a food stand. It will be a working vacation.
Funny thing while I was at the family reunion...I was updating my twitter and blog pages and my neice Mikayla, 9yrs old, asked if she could follow me. She had her own twitter already!! It is a great way for her and I to stay in touch. I showed her the picnik site and by the next day she had registered and done some work on family photos. Anything I learn now she wants to know about it. Only 9 and totally into web 2.0!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
PLN for week 6
I am a little behind. I will blame it on family!
My PLN got an added boost when I replied to the introduction emails sites sent me. With all the checking of blogs, twitters and assignments I forgot to check my email! Now I am really into the sites I want.
I found prezi.com through JakeSchroeder, a biology teacher on twitter. It is definitely interesting. It may make a good visual presentation tool for students to use. I also have some new networks through PBworks- Science In Action. Brad posted a good lab for using Google Earth called WOW Windmills
I also took a workshop for Project Wet. Excellent workshop and the book we received is amazing. Loads of lessons for all age groups. It was recommended by a fellow student from another online MSU class. I learned of the Leaf Pack Network from the instructor. She said I don't really need to order the kit but it was a great method for looking at stream macro invertebrates.
I am making connections with my co workers again and sharing ideas. I am already emailing examples from our class to colleagues. I have so very much enjoyed all your presentations. Some amazing work!!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Week 6 reflections
This has been a crazy few days trying to get caught up from vacation. I love working with powerpoint but it is so time consuming. My presentation took nearly 4 hours. I just know this is not normal. I do tend to get a little OCD about finding just the right photo and that is not easy, especially now that I am trying to be more careful with copyright.
I do like the screen casting. Yes, very time consuming. I tried both computers in the house. finally had to purchase another microphone and after 2 days did get sound recorded. I am uploading to Youtube as I type. I am disappointed that Jing does not allow me to embed from there. I need to try screen-o-matic. I want to eliminate the extra step if I can. I see these as being available to students to review from, watch repeatedly to gain understanding or as an introduction. I also like the fact that they are quick, relative to actually speaking in front of a class. I tend to be very interactive with students so I ask and take comments from students. In reality a power point can take up to 20 minutes in class but only 8 minutes by screen casting it. I would like to do a narrow subject matter that students have trouble grasping on a screen cast, like cellular respiration, or protein production. Students need repetition and having these available for would help.
I finished my voicethread and I really enjoy making these. Quick as long as I find the right photo but for the first slide I made my own. I did mine to use prior to the unit on ecology. I see this tool as being useful for so many things. I even shared it with the English teacher at school today.
I do like the screen casting. Yes, very time consuming. I tried both computers in the house. finally had to purchase another microphone and after 2 days did get sound recorded. I am uploading to Youtube as I type. I am disappointed that Jing does not allow me to embed from there. I need to try screen-o-matic. I want to eliminate the extra step if I can. I see these as being available to students to review from, watch repeatedly to gain understanding or as an introduction. I also like the fact that they are quick, relative to actually speaking in front of a class. I tend to be very interactive with students so I ask and take comments from students. In reality a power point can take up to 20 minutes in class but only 8 minutes by screen casting it. I would like to do a narrow subject matter that students have trouble grasping on a screen cast, like cellular respiration, or protein production. Students need repetition and having these available for would help.
I finished my voicethread and I really enjoy making these. Quick as long as I find the right photo but for the first slide I made my own. I did mine to use prior to the unit on ecology. I see this tool as being useful for so many things. I even shared it with the English teacher at school today.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Finally, a PowerPoint
We made it home late last night and it was a wonderful week. First, almost all of our family met for a graduation. That's the photo minus two that could not make it.Wednesday Dirk and I left and traveled to Fire Island, by ferry from Long Island, to spend the night camping in the dunes of this National Park. No cars allowed, we were on foot. From that adventure it was a road trip to the Presidential homes of Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt. My husband is a history buff so it was wonderful.
It is back home to a lawn that grew 6" (no kidding), we had 3 days of rain and more today!
I worked on my power point for ecology. I have been stressing over it. My comfort zone is middle school, always has been. But this year they need me in the HS. I feel like my presentation is still for 7th graders. I worry that I am stuck in a grade level and can't get out. I can take constructive criticism so dish it out! My stomach is in knots already thinking about the new year any help would be wonderful.
My audio is not working so good on the computer. It appears to record but doesn't play back. We did all the adjustments but still nothing. We are trying to sort it out. Hopefully by tomorrow.
What is Ecology
View more presentations or Upload your own.
I just noticed that many of my photo credits did not show up. Will check on it- I was meticulous about citing.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Love online data
There is nothing like getting students intersted in a topic and i think using real data that they can actually check out from a project/study is wonderful. This gives weight to so much in science. Previous teacher I worked with would make up data. This is so much better. As I move into the HS curriculum I am hoping to find units that a data project will work. While there are good resources out there, our class list is great, mostly it is for earth science. In our environmental unit we could use data but this is such a small unit and I don't know if I will have the time necessary to increase the time spent.
I will be looking ahead in August as i start planning the first half of the year.
I will be looking ahead in August as i start planning the first half of the year.
PLN for last week
right now I am struggling with a slow computer (OMG) and 5 nephews (under the age of 6) in the same room with me. There is no doing homework here. I got caught up on my network last week before leaving. I am following about 6 tech sites for smartboard users and they deal alot with elementary school. Math was a big subject this week and English is always popular. Where is the Science? I did find Jag Galaxy that is very intersting and fun.
I finally joined the Higher level group on Smartboard Revolution. Sounds like they are more for colleges but it should be useful for HS. I did find a great resource created by Dana Huff. I have been checking out each page as I find time. SB revolution always has some good info, I found Bruce White's rules for effective use of the smartboard. I also learned how to keep my tool bar on the smartboard from defaulitng. I had this problem last year but didn't know how to fix it.
This week I have posted a few things to specific twitter followers. I think maybe Twitter may work, time will tell.
I will not be home until Saturday this week so my power point will not show up until Sunday. All my files are home. And as one sister-in-law asked "how are you getting anything done?" Well not very well. the computer already froze twice, losing all my stuff. I think having 8 tabs open it rough on the system :0 and my personal computer will not keep the wireless connection. Oh well. I am going to try to enjoy the rest of the vacation and play catch up on the weekend.
I finally joined the Higher level group on Smartboard Revolution. Sounds like they are more for colleges but it should be useful for HS. I did find a great resource created by Dana Huff. I have been checking out each page as I find time. SB revolution always has some good info, I found Bruce White's rules for effective use of the smartboard. I also learned how to keep my tool bar on the smartboard from defaulitng. I had this problem last year but didn't know how to fix it.
This week I have posted a few things to specific twitter followers. I think maybe Twitter may work, time will tell.
I will not be home until Saturday this week so my power point will not show up until Sunday. All my files are home. And as one sister-in-law asked "how are you getting anything done?" Well not very well. the computer already froze twice, losing all my stuff. I think having 8 tabs open it rough on the system :0 and my personal computer will not keep the wireless connection. Oh well. I am going to try to enjoy the rest of the vacation and play catch up on the weekend.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Real data use
I did post on the wiki the CDC-MMWR. This site is useful on several fronts: it gives students a real up to the week report on communicable diseases and lets them hypothesize why the trend happens but also drives home the health risks involved in certain behaviors.
When I did this for microbiology, I chose Syphilis because I had heard it was on the rise in California. I followed the SE, specifically Florida. I was able to watch the increase over the semester and through the research for the disease I found that numbers increased during the harvest season and continued to increase as farm workers moved to northern states. This lead to looking into the health of our migrant population and what employers can do.
Students today need to see this real time data for themselves to see that these diseases are on the rise. I am sure there are tables for students that want to be veterinarians. The California Rabies page has data by the year. There must be more . If anyone comes across data tables for animal diseases please let me know.
The WHO has a data base for diseases, risk factors(obesity, water quality,literacy). It is the WHO Statistical Information System
Click on the the major category interested in or go to the Data And Statistics tab. there are many options. It would be a good project to compare the US with other countries. Or compare different years.
There are always data tables for Earth Science but I don't have much for Biology.
Any you find would be appreciated.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
What have I learned- Week 4
From reading other blogs I know we are all learning about ourselves and how we learn best. when overloaded some hide, some shut down, some dive in and gather even more. I have learned I ponder. I walk away but the topic is never leaves my mind. I wake in the morning wondering how to fit it into my life, into my teaching. I jot down ideas on the bedside notebook before I turn in. I talk about it to my family until they scream Enough already.
From my PLN: I jump from one of my blogs I follow and ended up on a teachers wiki. It was just what I was looking for. http://mrboyersclass.pbworks.com/ One of the projects I want to create for the new school year is a wiki page. I like the looks of this wiki so I will begin creating one on PBwiki. I also found ClifNotes. An excellent site that I have enjoyed.
I received news that I am getting a SMARTboard for my high school room (YEAH). I wanted to expand on what I learned last year so I joined TeachersLoveSmartboards, smartboardrevolution and freetech4teachers. I have already listened to two podcasts and learned about filedropper.com for moving files from home to school. My jumps were taking a beating.
I also started planning a lab for september on GoogleDocs so my partnering teacher can work on it with me. I did this after I read about googledocs on a blog I follow, tom barrett
I realize I need specifics from my network. There are blogs that are so general that I would have to check often to see if anything applies. By paring down my network to those I really need I am better able to use my time and actually gain material/instruction that works for me.
Twitter- No, this has flown the nest and is not coming back. Oh well.
Simulations- These are truly wonderful. A picture is worth a thousand words. I just want to be selective. As I move into August and begin planning my first year as a HS biology teacher I will add one to each unit. My delicious account now has some great ones to get me started.
Google Earth- Oh so fun but I will use it sparingly for biology. It has features that I am amazed at but much more suited to Earth Science. Google continues to amaze me.
I have plans for the wiki and will begin building this week. I will do a HS blog but I want a new look that is different from my middle school blog. This I am still pondering.
From my PLN: I jump from one of my blogs I follow and ended up on a teachers wiki. It was just what I was looking for. http://mrboyersclass.pbworks.com/ One of the projects I want to create for the new school year is a wiki page. I like the looks of this wiki so I will begin creating one on PBwiki. I also found ClifNotes. An excellent site that I have enjoyed.
I received news that I am getting a SMARTboard for my high school room (YEAH). I wanted to expand on what I learned last year so I joined TeachersLoveSmartboards, smartboardrevolution and freetech4teachers. I have already listened to two podcasts and learned about filedropper.com for moving files from home to school. My jumps were taking a beating.
I also started planning a lab for september on GoogleDocs so my partnering teacher can work on it with me. I did this after I read about googledocs on a blog I follow, tom barrett
I realize I need specifics from my network. There are blogs that are so general that I would have to check often to see if anything applies. By paring down my network to those I really need I am better able to use my time and actually gain material/instruction that works for me.
Twitter- No, this has flown the nest and is not coming back. Oh well.
Simulations- These are truly wonderful. A picture is worth a thousand words. I just want to be selective. As I move into August and begin planning my first year as a HS biology teacher I will add one to each unit. My delicious account now has some great ones to get me started.
Google Earth- Oh so fun but I will use it sparingly for biology. It has features that I am amazed at but much more suited to Earth Science. Google continues to amaze me.
I have plans for the wiki and will begin building this week. I will do a HS blog but I want a new look that is different from my middle school blog. This I am still pondering.
Simulations
This past week I was overwhelmed with the links for simulations. After hours of watching I had to get away. I took a few days of web-free time. Simulations are great but where do they fit in with my teaching? I was approaching it from the wrong end- looking for a video that I could use before I selected my content goal. As I look now I want simulations for the cell unit for sure. This is one unit that is so hard for students to get excited about. So many kids are visual learners and without the opportunity to really see organelles and DNA it really does not interest them.
For simple animations:
http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/animation.html the science in focus page has some timely animations with tutorials
For interactives:
http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/index.html
http://www.biologyinmotion.com/index.html this has cartoons with explanations
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/hotscience/int_biol.html
http://www.biozone.co.uk/links.html there are extra links for all the different science topics
http://www.nclark.net/Cells At the bottom of the page are Links, many are very specific animations and interactives
I will be adding simulations to my guiding principles for using technology in the classroom. While many are amazing, some are too complex and distracting to use. The simulations that I select must
* enhance my learning goal (this is a must)
*give visual when no other visual works as good
*further explain what we have learned
*provide a good intro or end review
*not require serious class time to explain how to use
*give visual when no other visual works as good
*further explain what we have learned
*provide a good intro or end review
*not require serious class time to explain how to use
I envision using one good simulation that works with the unit content and posting several on the blog/wiki for students to access that need extra help. I already know that my 20 week biology class will not have extra time in class to do the "fun stuff". I will have to keep it concise.
I was interested in the online labs. I may select one to use as a prelab to what we do in class. That will take some more searching.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
A Teaching Video
Here is a video that has features I like for the classroom. The sound has been removed (copyright problem) but I like it for that reason. When students are learning something new this type can be useful for having them explain it. For an assessment I would have them write what is happening at each stage. I think I will actually turn off the sound on clips to see if it will present to students better. I also like the concise format, nothing too busy to get in the way of what is happening. I little too involved but like the format.
Nucleus Medical illustrations is wonderful for anatomy and disease. Their HIV video is excellent. Brain interactive is also good with objectives, study and review sections.
Nucleus Medical illustrations is wonderful for anatomy and disease. Their HIV video is excellent. Brain interactive is also good with objectives, study and review sections.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Video used in class
After reading the chapter I realize that I didn't always use the videos to their fullest. While I had pre and post discussions, correlating the video to the learning objectives, I didn't have students write anything down. this was detrimental to my slower learners. The higher level thinkers could keep it all together, watch the video, be thinking about questions posed and relate it to what they have learned but a handful of students can't process it all at once. "The researchers also concluded that interactive video worked best when it was guided and structured, as opposed to being entirely under the control of the learner"(chapt 2, p12). Without the structure of formal questions to answer I think some students couldn't process it all. Here is the video and the questions we discussed. (next time they will write down the answers before our post discussion)
What type of metamorphosis does this organism use?
What evidence does this video show for it?
Why must the cicada shed its skin?
What is an advantage of a 17 year life cycle? a disadvantage?
What type of metamorphosis does this organism use?
What evidence does this video show for it?
Why must the cicada shed its skin?
What is an advantage of a 17 year life cycle? a disadvantage?
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Summing up week 2
It is amazing to me that I have only been in class three weeks- I have learned so much. It does tend to swirl in my mind but I will tease it out to make some sense of it.
Widgets- I did finally learn to add a widget. I check the weather often, now I have it on my page.
PLN- I am still twittering but as of yet I have only found relevant material from those in class which is ok. My son said that I should be using my phone to send updates! no thanks. I am using my electronics more than I really care to now. I do need to drop some of my twitter groups- nothing but ads and car loan information under the guise of science.
I have found some students in another online course that I have been emailing with good information. I tend to like the deeper relationships that you don't get with 140 characters. Goggle reader is helping me stay on top of most things digital.
Images- I have enjoyed the image tools I learned to use this week. I have shared Picnik with everyone who comes within 5 feet of my computer. I also was very impressed with Creative Common. That people would want to share and have their work used by others is amazing to me. I certainly made me want to participate on some level. As I did more searching I really looked at Flickr and liked what I saw. Soooo I did it, I registered (I have now registered more in the past 3 weeks than I have in the past 3 years!). I even went one step farther, I joined the educators group. I uploaded my photos and put them into sets.
Copyrights-In really examining copyrights and the material I used in class, I am nervous. We have all found a graphic illustrates a point best and now I read we can't "copy the same works for more than one semester, class, or course". I did find that our textbooks in class have great graphics but to add these to a power point or just in a large format so the whole class can see them is difficult. I did have a disk of the entire textbook in a different school and it was great. All the diagrams and photos, already paid for by the school, could be used. The textbooks i had this past year were older, had no dvd. A scanner would help but is time consuming. I am already checking into the HS book I will use. The Hangarter video (17 year cicada) I posted is also offered on the University of Indiana website so I was safe but the youtube video allowed me to show it on the whole screen. There is a whole cupboard full of home taped videos from a previous teacher. I think they will have to be tossed in the circular file! Our school will tape if we give them notice of a show with educational material to use for class but I never want to show an entire video, only short clips and sorting through is time consuming. I did use Thinkbright for video clips. They don't have as many for science but our social studies teacher uses it all the time. It lets you search for only topic specific clips from a video collection and download them.
Applications for students- So much of what I learned this week I want to teach my students. As I move to the HS, I am assuming (which could get me into trouble) that they will be more active in the learning process. I think that the tools I learned this week will allow students to "shift from consuming media to being a media creator. Giving students powerful media-authoring tools means relinquishing a degree of control, but doing so also makes it possible to help them learn in more effective ways (and tighter time frames) than ever before." (from edutopia) We are to be moving to a more student-centered classroom. I wan to give control to students to interpret what they learn or ask questions in a non-linguistic format. Glogster for education is really fascinating. I do see students using this for science to reorganize facts, interpret what they have learned or express what they are having trouble grasping. My problem will be coming up with specifics instead of overwhelming them (like I feel most days). This is where I am already looking ahead to the three projects for this class that I will use this coming school year. Now on to simulations..........
Widgets- I did finally learn to add a widget. I check the weather often, now I have it on my page.
PLN- I am still twittering but as of yet I have only found relevant material from those in class which is ok. My son said that I should be using my phone to send updates! no thanks. I am using my electronics more than I really care to now. I do need to drop some of my twitter groups- nothing but ads and car loan information under the guise of science.
I have found some students in another online course that I have been emailing with good information. I tend to like the deeper relationships that you don't get with 140 characters. Goggle reader is helping me stay on top of most things digital.
Images- I have enjoyed the image tools I learned to use this week. I have shared Picnik with everyone who comes within 5 feet of my computer. I also was very impressed with Creative Common. That people would want to share and have their work used by others is amazing to me. I certainly made me want to participate on some level. As I did more searching I really looked at Flickr and liked what I saw. Soooo I did it, I registered (I have now registered more in the past 3 weeks than I have in the past 3 years!). I even went one step farther, I joined the educators group. I uploaded my photos and put them into sets.
Copyrights-In really examining copyrights and the material I used in class, I am nervous. We have all found a graphic illustrates a point best and now I read we can't "copy the same works for more than one semester, class, or course". I did find that our textbooks in class have great graphics but to add these to a power point or just in a large format so the whole class can see them is difficult. I did have a disk of the entire textbook in a different school and it was great. All the diagrams and photos, already paid for by the school, could be used. The textbooks i had this past year were older, had no dvd. A scanner would help but is time consuming. I am already checking into the HS book I will use. The Hangarter video (17 year cicada) I posted is also offered on the University of Indiana website so I was safe but the youtube video allowed me to show it on the whole screen. There is a whole cupboard full of home taped videos from a previous teacher. I think they will have to be tossed in the circular file! Our school will tape if we give them notice of a show with educational material to use for class but I never want to show an entire video, only short clips and sorting through is time consuming. I did use Thinkbright for video clips. They don't have as many for science but our social studies teacher uses it all the time. It lets you search for only topic specific clips from a video collection and download them.
Applications for students- So much of what I learned this week I want to teach my students. As I move to the HS, I am assuming (which could get me into trouble) that they will be more active in the learning process. I think that the tools I learned this week will allow students to "shift from consuming media to being a media creator. Giving students powerful media-authoring tools means relinquishing a degree of control, but doing so also makes it possible to help them learn in more effective ways (and tighter time frames) than ever before." (from edutopia) We are to be moving to a more student-centered classroom. I wan to give control to students to interpret what they learn or ask questions in a non-linguistic format. Glogster for education is really fascinating. I do see students using this for science to reorganize facts, interpret what they have learned or express what they are having trouble grasping. My problem will be coming up with specifics instead of overwhelming them (like I feel most days). This is where I am already looking ahead to the three projects for this class that I will use this coming school year. Now on to simulations..........
Picnik
This is my original photo so
you can see the difference
This site is a blast! It is easy to use, so many options and turns average photos into something of a wow. I used one of my butterfly pictures from my yard. I cropped, saturated, used B/W focal and then added a matte halo. I can't imagine myself using this in class but to add photos for my blog page it would be great. Haven't played with the collage feature yet. I really see my students using this. They must do a full science project this year in HS and this tool will add uniqueness to their presentation.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Great site - TED
I found this site http://www.ted.com/ a while ago (maybe years) and didn't ever check again. This is amazing for students in the classroom. I want to present scientists as real, not someone just in a lab coat spewing unintelligible words (this is the view some students have) and with web tools we now have the ability to do new things in new ways. This is one. Hearing directly from the scientist about his work. I will add these when relevant to my student blog pages.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
What I have learned
I have learned that Google is bigger than I imagined. They are amazing. It seems they anticipated a users need before the users and designed tools for it. I am still working through all they offer and finding what fits me. Google reader has been great for keeping track of all my sites.
My PLN is taking shape. I added The Synapse to my list today and found some good groups within the site to join. I also forgot that I am a member of delicious. I haven't used it in the past year but need to start again. Like many, the PLN acronym is new to me. Normally I am all about face-to-face discussions but with my online courses I can appreciate a network that is on my wavelength. I can attest to learning much from my other networks at MSU. Just today I read a posting from my riparian zone class that was for the Bucket Project, collecting water macroorganism data to share online with other schools. This I will use for my class in the fall. A perfect example of gaining great material that will improve the learning of my students in my ecology unit and doing something new in a new way at my school.
On the Synapse site the group I joined is discussing how not to lecture in class. This is a problem I have, too much talking. I needed practical suggestions and my network provided that for me today. I also love that there are others who struggle like me and we can grow as teachers together.
It takes a discerning eye to understand what will benefit learning. This is where my guiding principals will be important. They need to be succinct and forward thinking. I don't have much time during the year to add something new. I want to spend time wisely this summer getting ready for the new year and having all my webtools in place.
I have learned that I need to limit myself time wise. Every time I sit down, daily, it can easily turn into 3 or more hours. It seems impossible but the clock does not lie. I need to utilize google reader to the fullest. i also did a google chrome page to help me.
Now another week is starting and I feel like I need extra time to just absorb this past week. I am not getting stressed out though, I am learning, exploring and planning. That was my objective in taking this course. I think so far I am successful.
My PLN is taking shape. I added The Synapse to my list today and found some good groups within the site to join. I also forgot that I am a member of delicious. I haven't used it in the past year but need to start again. Like many, the PLN acronym is new to me. Normally I am all about face-to-face discussions but with my online courses I can appreciate a network that is on my wavelength. I can attest to learning much from my other networks at MSU. Just today I read a posting from my riparian zone class that was for the Bucket Project, collecting water macroorganism data to share online with other schools. This I will use for my class in the fall. A perfect example of gaining great material that will improve the learning of my students in my ecology unit and doing something new in a new way at my school.
On the Synapse site the group I joined is discussing how not to lecture in class. This is a problem I have, too much talking. I needed practical suggestions and my network provided that for me today. I also love that there are others who struggle like me and we can grow as teachers together.
It takes a discerning eye to understand what will benefit learning. This is where my guiding principals will be important. They need to be succinct and forward thinking. I don't have much time during the year to add something new. I want to spend time wisely this summer getting ready for the new year and having all my webtools in place.
I have learned that I need to limit myself time wise. Every time I sit down, daily, it can easily turn into 3 or more hours. It seems impossible but the clock does not lie. I need to utilize google reader to the fullest. i also did a google chrome page to help me.
Now another week is starting and I feel like I need extra time to just absorb this past week. I am not getting stressed out though, I am learning, exploring and planning. That was my objective in taking this course. I think so far I am successful.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
PLNs
I have done a lot of reading about PLNs. I find I can't just jump in without tons of knowledge first. I have connected with these: the FischBowl blog has been great and Jeff Utecht at the ThinkingStick and a personal account from a teacher of her students PLNs at JessiesBlog.
I have spent just over 4 hours here in cyberspace but I did accomplish a lot. After much searching this week today I did joined Twitter, WeTheTeachers, and Classroom 2.0. My network did consist of this class, my teaching partners at school, and NSTA biolist. I keep track of my updates on Google Reader (did that last week). I am now as busy as I think I want to be.
My one question- Will this benefit me in the classroom? If it does not benefit me for my students I don't know if I will keep it.
I have spent just over 4 hours here in cyberspace but I did accomplish a lot. After much searching this week today I did joined Twitter, WeTheTeachers, and Classroom 2.0. My network did consist of this class, my teaching partners at school, and NSTA biolist. I keep track of my updates on Google Reader (did that last week). I am now as busy as I think I want to be.
My one question- Will this benefit me in the classroom? If it does not benefit me for my students I don't know if I will keep it.
School is out.....finally
Students were done Thursday and we finished yesterday.We have got to be the last ones! It was also a week of moving into the new building. I'm certainly not set up, my stuff is just there.
With all the PLN stuff swirling in my head this week, I stopped by the tech dept, had them get me set up for the new building and to talk web 2.0.
I got the scoop on moodle and other foreign web notions, three other teachers are wanting to set up blog pages, the district is going to powerschool, I will have direct access to googledocs, and the district doesn't have enough room on the servers to do everything but they are working on it. They also shared a little known fact...I can access the schools network directly from home! Gradebook, files, drives, everything. Would have been nice to know for this year. No more traveling back and forth with my very full jump drives.
Mark gave me a fantastic book, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn and Malenoski).
By page 11 I was hooked. If you have read the book send me your thoughts or any other books you found interesting.
With all the PLN stuff swirling in my head this week, I stopped by the tech dept, had them get me set up for the new building and to talk web 2.0.
I got the scoop on moodle and other foreign web notions, three other teachers are wanting to set up blog pages, the district is going to powerschool, I will have direct access to googledocs, and the district doesn't have enough room on the servers to do everything but they are working on it. They also shared a little known fact...I can access the schools network directly from home! Gradebook, files, drives, everything. Would have been nice to know for this year. No more traveling back and forth with my very full jump drives.
Mark gave me a fantastic book, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn and Malenoski).
By page 11 I was hooked. If you have read the book send me your thoughts or any other books you found interesting.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Good Sites
I did some blog searching and found these
http://areallydifferentplace.org/ This blog page by two teachers that showcases student blog pages as well. I think it is well done. I like the fact that 6th graders are blogging. There are even writing helps on the right side. I read some of the blogs and the students are creative and do respond to each other. I assume it is a weekly assignment.
Risely Roarer's Blog
This is a three year project that students have done. It is from class blogmeister which is a
blogging engine for students to write. The teachers prompts are short and easy to understand. Each student has a page that they can post on. Some write poetry, tell a story or an adventure. I really like that this is very interactive.
Looking at Wikis I found this blog site, ComputerScience4Teens that has a wiki page. I like that they have a student scribe that posts notes. Unfortunately there has not been any recent updates but school is winding down.
Wikis seem only to be specifically for those involved. I will have to keep searching to find a better classroom model of how it works.
http://areallydifferentplace.org/ This blog page by two teachers that showcases student blog pages as well. I think it is well done. I like the fact that 6th graders are blogging. There are even writing helps on the right side. I read some of the blogs and the students are creative and do respond to each other. I assume it is a weekly assignment.
Risely Roarer's Blog
This is a three year project that students have done. It is from class blogmeister which is a
blogging engine for students to write. The teachers prompts are short and easy to understand. Each student has a page that they can post on. Some write poetry, tell a story or an adventure. I really like that this is very interactive.
Looking at Wikis I found this blog site, ComputerScience4Teens that has a wiki page. I like that they have a student scribe that posts notes. Unfortunately there has not been any recent updates but school is winding down.
Wikis seem only to be specifically for those involved. I will have to keep searching to find a better classroom model of how it works.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Guiding Principles
I have thought all week about my guiding principles. This is what I have come up with...
A. The technology must be be interactive. Students must do something with the technology you provide. Just watching/listening isn't an option. If it makes a student read, think and have to respond I can live with that. As a 7th grade teacher that in itself is tough to do.
B. The technology needs to be user friendly. Again these young students are easily put off. Many are techno shy and so the more success they have the more adventurous they will be. It needs to be accessible as well. To become familiar with a piece of technology it needs to be used over and over by more than just the science department.
C. The technology needs to promote a deeper learning. So much of what is the "old way" is limiting. I think of the old chalk board in my room, really allows surface learning. With the SmartBoard I am able to use examples that we can manipulate. One step further is a simulation that allows a student to manipulate and actually see the changes he has caused. I also don't want deeper learning at the expense of not covering the state standards though.
D. I think the technology should be connective. I want my students to know they live in a global world. We start with using technology that can be a link with others. We posted their digital photos of the onion slides they made so they could share this with their families.
E. I think technology should be efficient. If it saves me time and paperwork, it is good. Love the new computerized grading and attendance. Still takes time to get it all in but I can manipulate it to give me more data from the raw scores I input. My students learned OpenOfficeCalc this year for their graphing. They love the options they had and the quickness of it.
Since this is a work in progress I expect to refining or even changing my principles. The readings we did were very good. I ask now is it just "old things in old ways" or "old things in new ways"? Have I progressed to "new things in new ways"? That would be my goal.
B. The technology needs to be user friendly. Again these young students are easily put off. Many are techno shy and so the more success they have the more adventurous they will be. It needs to be accessible as well. To become familiar with a piece of technology it needs to be used over and over by more than just the science department.
C. The technology needs to promote a deeper learning. So much of what is the "old way" is limiting. I think of the old chalk board in my room, really allows surface learning. With the SmartBoard I am able to use examples that we can manipulate. One step further is a simulation that allows a student to manipulate and actually see the changes he has caused. I also don't want deeper learning at the expense of not covering the state standards though.
D. I think the technology should be connective. I want my students to know they live in a global world. We start with using technology that can be a link with others. We posted their digital photos of the onion slides they made so they could share this with their families.
E. I think technology should be efficient. If it saves me time and paperwork, it is good. Love the new computerized grading and attendance. Still takes time to get it all in but I can manipulate it to give me more data from the raw scores I input. My students learned OpenOfficeCalc this year for their graphing. They love the options they had and the quickness of it.
Since this is a work in progress I expect to refining or even changing my principles. The readings we did were very good. I ask now is it just "old things in old ways" or "old things in new ways"? Have I progressed to "new things in new ways"? That would be my goal.
Why I like to blog..
I had never heard of blogging until the IT person at a local school invited staff to learn the basics of blogging for the classroom.. I was the only one to show up! Their loss because it is a great tool in the classroom. I like to blog because I like to learn and share what I find. It gives me an outlet to post interesting items and food for thought. Didn't you ever come across something that you knew your students would be interested in but simply didn't have time in the classroom to share it? This is where it can be done. Or if you find that something in class has the WOW factor for students, posting it lets them access it again and again.
This is what happened with the Bacteria Song. I found this online and kids at school
were singing along by the end of the week because I posted it to the class blog page.
Kids were downloading it to their ipods.
So why do you blog?
This is what happened with the Bacteria Song. I found this online and kids at school
were singing along by the end of the week because I posted it to the class blog page.
Kids were downloading it to their ipods.
So why do you blog?
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