Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Day in life of Diigo
I have two applications in which I use Diigo. One of my accounts is a website named Kuta Software. It is a website providing Algebra and Geometry practice with an answer key. Especially for students needing extension/supplements, it provides a quick resource for usage. Also, I have in my account a few youtube videos of instruction for my Geometry Honors course.
Diana Laufenberg Video
I could not agree more with her points. Personally I have witnessed within my teaching career of 24 years the focus on testing. The flaw is that the test becomes the focus of teachers, administrators, and those concerned with scores. I have experienced that the key "player" in this process remains uninterested. The student! As Ms. Laufenberg presents learning, I can't think of a student that would not be interested.
Writing Re-Launched
I found one of the key phrases of this article is the notion that schools are in the "catch-up mode" when it comes to technology. Personally I feel we will always be in this "mode" based on a number of factors. As an educator I am accepting of this situation based on my personal beliefs that we are in the business to provide a strong foundation of numerous skills that are necessary for individuals to have in order to succeed.
Session 2 blog
I read: "An Idea Whose Time Has Come," "What Students Can Actually Do With an iPad," and "Writing Relaunched: Teaching with Digital Tools." I also watched the video, "How to Learn? From Mistakes."
1. All of these have in common as a subject the use of technology in the classroom. The first article encourages the idea that students bring their own technology to school with them. Obviously, this would make technology more available since students who have their own would bring theirs and other students would be able to use the school's technology. At the high school, I have not seen many students bringing their computers or iPads. Most do have phones and use them somewhat if appropriate. It would be difficult for a district to organize but might make sense to use the buying power of all its families by contracting with a company to buy the same products, whether they would be iPads or laptops. Given the chance, a lot of parents and/or students might want to take advantage of this offer. However, I still do see some students having to make great efforts to get sufficient access to technology as it continues to be used in more classes. As more assignments are given, more computer time is needed and those who have limited access often do not have time to finish assignments.
2. The second reading about how to use iPads in the classroom encourages teachers to think of what they want their students to learn from an activity or assignment first. Then find out how to use technology to accomplish it. I've been thinking about projects I could have my students do, but I don't have the knowledge of technology to go ahead. I don't know if my students would be able to do the project I want with their own knowledge; it might be possible, but it would be very helpful to have someone to consult.
3. The third article, "Writing Relaunched: Teaching with Digital Tools," presents a difficulty for me because I think the author, Liana Heitin, is trying to compare traditional writing with a multimedia presentation. If the point of a presentation, written or digital, is to inform, it can be done in many ways. But a written paper, a digital presentation, an advertisement, etc., inform in different ways and the memory of the information will be kept in different ways. We have visual and oral memory and when we recall with those and re-interpret the information to convey to others, the product will be different. It is important to define what information is to be conveyed and what we want the receiver to do with the information before we decide how to present the information. (I am also concerned that if someone uses a pre-made video as part of their report, we have not yet considered whether this is plagiarism.)
In the article, the author mentions that if students are working collaboratively on a project and are using Google Docs, they would be able to share in the writing. Presently, when students work this way, often one student does his/her section and the other student doesn't. While using Google Docs won't solve the problem of getting the lazy student to do his/her part, it would at least show that the first student worked correctly. I think it is highly unfair that at present the student who does the work receives an F because their partner did not contribute.
Another thought. If students will be doing less writing as the article suggests, then those students who cannot write well will have a chance to express themselves and be noticed for their accomplishment. However, if this comes to pass, I also see students becoming even less literate than they are now and I hate to think that literacy will actually be discouraged. In conclusion, I see digital writing as a new form but not as a substitute for written expression.
4. The video was "How to learn? From Mistakes." The speaker during the video has been a teacher for years at different grade levels and different subjects. She advised letting students fail so that they can learn. It's so true that you learn from your mistakes, and if a teacher can avoid failing students when they make mistakes, this would work. There would have to be a lot of planning and input from a teacher during the process of students doing an activity to give students the chance to fail and then correct what they did. Not everyone will find it possible to do that. The idea of letting students fail is good because it prepares them for the rest of their lives. Everyone fails at some time and it can be hard to deal with. It's better for kids to learn that they can pick themselves up again, than it is to learn it later in life. I agree with the speaker when she said that students need to own what they learn, and they do that if they have more input into what they do. Since I accompany some of the ELL students to social studies and science classes, I have seen that students are given choices when they are assigned projects. They might all be doing a project in the same way, but they get to choose the subject they want to research. I've also seen classes where students get to choose the type of project; for example, writing a paper, making a timeline, making a video, etc. I believe this encourages them since they feel ownership when they have a choice.
1. All of these have in common as a subject the use of technology in the classroom. The first article encourages the idea that students bring their own technology to school with them. Obviously, this would make technology more available since students who have their own would bring theirs and other students would be able to use the school's technology. At the high school, I have not seen many students bringing their computers or iPads. Most do have phones and use them somewhat if appropriate. It would be difficult for a district to organize but might make sense to use the buying power of all its families by contracting with a company to buy the same products, whether they would be iPads or laptops. Given the chance, a lot of parents and/or students might want to take advantage of this offer. However, I still do see some students having to make great efforts to get sufficient access to technology as it continues to be used in more classes. As more assignments are given, more computer time is needed and those who have limited access often do not have time to finish assignments.
2. The second reading about how to use iPads in the classroom encourages teachers to think of what they want their students to learn from an activity or assignment first. Then find out how to use technology to accomplish it. I've been thinking about projects I could have my students do, but I don't have the knowledge of technology to go ahead. I don't know if my students would be able to do the project I want with their own knowledge; it might be possible, but it would be very helpful to have someone to consult.
3. The third article, "Writing Relaunched: Teaching with Digital Tools," presents a difficulty for me because I think the author, Liana Heitin, is trying to compare traditional writing with a multimedia presentation. If the point of a presentation, written or digital, is to inform, it can be done in many ways. But a written paper, a digital presentation, an advertisement, etc., inform in different ways and the memory of the information will be kept in different ways. We have visual and oral memory and when we recall with those and re-interpret the information to convey to others, the product will be different. It is important to define what information is to be conveyed and what we want the receiver to do with the information before we decide how to present the information. (I am also concerned that if someone uses a pre-made video as part of their report, we have not yet considered whether this is plagiarism.)
In the article, the author mentions that if students are working collaboratively on a project and are using Google Docs, they would be able to share in the writing. Presently, when students work this way, often one student does his/her section and the other student doesn't. While using Google Docs won't solve the problem of getting the lazy student to do his/her part, it would at least show that the first student worked correctly. I think it is highly unfair that at present the student who does the work receives an F because their partner did not contribute.
Another thought. If students will be doing less writing as the article suggests, then those students who cannot write well will have a chance to express themselves and be noticed for their accomplishment. However, if this comes to pass, I also see students becoming even less literate than they are now and I hate to think that literacy will actually be discouraged. In conclusion, I see digital writing as a new form but not as a substitute for written expression.
4. The video was "How to learn? From Mistakes." The speaker during the video has been a teacher for years at different grade levels and different subjects. She advised letting students fail so that they can learn. It's so true that you learn from your mistakes, and if a teacher can avoid failing students when they make mistakes, this would work. There would have to be a lot of planning and input from a teacher during the process of students doing an activity to give students the chance to fail and then correct what they did. Not everyone will find it possible to do that. The idea of letting students fail is good because it prepares them for the rest of their lives. Everyone fails at some time and it can be hard to deal with. It's better for kids to learn that they can pick themselves up again, than it is to learn it later in life. I agree with the speaker when she said that students need to own what they learn, and they do that if they have more input into what they do. Since I accompany some of the ELL students to social studies and science classes, I have seen that students are given choices when they are assigned projects. They might all be doing a project in the same way, but they get to choose the subject they want to research. I've also seen classes where students get to choose the type of project; for example, writing a paper, making a timeline, making a video, etc. I believe this encourages them since they feel ownership when they have a choice.
Monday, November 12, 2012
How to learn from your mistakes evaluation
A very good video on how to make students responsible for their work and have them take ownership. This works very well in small groups and I agree with most of what she was saying. Students will surpise you with they can accomplish. I agree, but I think you only want to go to this well once in a while and after they have learned to do research properly. They will make some very good projects but will get bored, like with other assignments, if you don't mix it up for them. I will do a video presentation next semester as we did power point presemtations last semester. My problem is just getting familiar with the technology out there.
Analysis Writing relaunched
The article was very detailed about how to impliment electronic writing in the classroom. I agree with some of waht was said as it engrosses the student more and they will get better as they use this format. The students who take this seriously it would be a great benefit, but those who fear writing would be very skeptical to put something out there that everyone can read. I use it for my classroom in group presentations to the class but have not incorporated it to the outside world.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Reflection to article - What Students Can actually do iPad (Project)
I have always wanted to do a project incorporating math and baseball statistics. This would be
an enrichment activity we could do after MAP testing at the end of year. This is also the time that
baseball is starting up, so interest should be at it's highest. I think you could do all sorts of things with the statistics. You could compare them and find mean, median, mode, and range. You could graph the information using all sorts of graphs (line graph, bar graph, circle graph, scatter plot, box and whiskers plot, etc). The devices would be used to look up the player or team statistics.
an enrichment activity we could do after MAP testing at the end of year. This is also the time that
baseball is starting up, so interest should be at it's highest. I think you could do all sorts of things with the statistics. You could compare them and find mean, median, mode, and range. You could graph the information using all sorts of graphs (line graph, bar graph, circle graph, scatter plot, box and whiskers plot, etc). The devices would be used to look up the player or team statistics.
Twitter / Pinterest - Add and Consume
I am starting to use Twitter more now than I ever have. I check it a couple times a day and when
time allows, I am able to read several topic of interest. I had a hard time at first finding good places to find educational stories, topics, and ideas. I have been able to find some by checking and following other people associated with education on the few I was following.
I am just getting into Pinterest. I am spending most of my time looking at how other people are categorizing and organizing their board. Hopefully I can find time here soon to explore more and start to pin things to mine in a way that will help my teaching
time allows, I am able to read several topic of interest. I had a hard time at first finding good places to find educational stories, topics, and ideas. I have been able to find some by checking and following other people associated with education on the few I was following.
I am just getting into Pinterest. I am spending most of my time looking at how other people are categorizing and organizing their board. Hopefully I can find time here soon to explore more and start to pin things to mine in a way that will help my teaching
Video - How to Learn? From Mistakes Reflections
I wrote some thoughts and ideas down as I was watching the video:
+ You have to teach the material in a manner that motivates and excites the student, gets the students to want to learn.
+ Give a student priority and ownership of their work.
+ Ask students and listen when they speak.
+ When students are given a chance to use technology, they may need a chance to fail first
before they can succeed.
+ Empower students to make mistakes everyday......to learn from their mistakes
+ Learning includes failure
+ You have to teach the material in a manner that motivates and excites the student, gets the students to want to learn.
+ Give a student priority and ownership of their work.
+ Ask students and listen when they speak.
+ When students are given a chance to use technology, they may need a chance to fail first
before they can succeed.
+ Empower students to make mistakes everyday......to learn from their mistakes
+ Learning includes failure
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
TicTacToe1:BYOD
There are positives and negatives to this issue. Yes it's great because tecnology changes so fast and students are on it. But not all of them. Are we pointing out those who can afford and who can't? Good thing I have 4 computers in my room that sometimes work. Students bringing in technology is the quick answer and it looks like that is the new wave of education. Now the teachers need to catch up on the devices too. Who will be teaching whom?
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