My test notebook observation page

So here is my first assignment for my Inquiry class. This is a test to see if uploading to a blog would be a good idea for student pages. Works great.

How to Insert a YouTube Video Into Smart Notebook

How to Insert a YouTube Video Into Smart Notebook
Update 9/17 This first video doesn't work anymore. A friend made this new video on inserting a youtube video using Mozilla.

DeJonge TeacherTube video

Research topic

I have settled. I am going to research classroom notebooks. I have had comments from students that they do not use their notebooks to study. I work very hard to make sure they have coherent notes, good diagrams, concept maps, venn diagrams and other useful material in the notebook.
But my students toell me they really don't use the notebook. When I sent out a survey to ask them what they did use to study... most said nothing. they didn't really study. a few did use the notebook and they had grades at the top of the class but this was only a few.

So I will select either interactive or cornell notes in my classroom. I may modify depending on the literature I find and other teachers I speak with. My desire is to have a notebook that they can own! not just some place to take notes to satisfy the quarterly grade I give them for keeping it organized and complete.

Questions I have about AR

In 1957 an article in Educational Sociology states that AR is "undertaken by those in the field in order to improve their practice." John wrote on my paper that if students benefit that is a bonus.
Isn't the point of improving my practice so my students have a better learn experience? Are there some AR papers out there that don't have increased student learning as the goal.

I will keep looking.

Interesting thoughts today on inquiry. "If we want to improve our students’ level of questioning and problem solving, we must begin to incorporate inquiry-based education into our classroom. The study of science is based on the concept of asking questions."

So in light of this, do my students ask enough questions, do i give time to think of things they have questions about? How could I examine my lesson to see if I can elicit better questions?

Big exams are over

This is our Regents exam week. I had 93% pass the LE exam and 53% had mastery (85 or higher). As I contemplate my AR I am wondering what could have worked to help my oe student pass that didn't. John never gave me any trouble but others had such issues that he was in CR or suspended a few times. He gave up. With 19 other students to get ready for the exam in only half a year I just couldn't dwell on him...he took no steps to come in for help, never attempted homework, never participated in class. That sounds terrible.
How can action research help? is there something I could be doing in class that would have drawn him in? Am I doing something wrong?

As I think about the research and what I want to know my thoughts are ------

Concept maps: I love them, do my students?
I think they provide a visual of what the whole unit is, what do they think?
They are challenging, do students put the effort into to create good ones?
It makes the big picture clear, do students see it more clearly?

Labs: Sometimes they are too easy
They can be boring
Are they the best way to represent a topic?
Do they mimic anything in real life?

New Purpose for this blog

I am currently in the Foundations of Action Research class at MSU. I need to keep a journal of my thoughts and ideas so I have decided to do this online using this blog page.
Action research: a teachers serious look at the way she teaches in the classroom.

Things to ask in Ar- Am I reaching all my students? Is the lesson running smoothly? Is my assessment in line with the lesson? Is there a better way to teach this? Am I using my resources appropriately? Who is getting left out?

If anyone out there has done this already, feel free to offer free advise!

Some great sites for students

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?