Digital Teaching & Learning

Reflecting On My Social Network

2008-12-09T19:46:00.003-05:00

Over the past few months, I have been more aware of my social learning network--and I'm amazed to see how much it has grown. It's been about 1 1/2 since I started my blog and setup my feed reader, but I've never used them as effectively as I have over the past several months. I feel more connected with educators from around the world (even though I'm still shy about posting comments and tweeting), began to look at technology integration from multiple perspectives, and learned how to easily find answers to my question. Participating in a social learning network has helped me to stay up-to-date with best practices and the newest research.

I still have lots of room to grow, however. I'd like to spend the next few months becoming a better twitter user. I'm always amazed when I see other teachers sending out a tweet asking for others to provide resources or take time to read & respond to student work. Within a few moments, they receive the support they needed. However, I know building that type of strong network takes time and persistence. In other words, I need to start giving before I can receive (and I think my 1 and only tweet won't cut it).

As I continue to improve my PLN, I'm thinking more and more about how I can help my students develop and grow from a learning network. One of the key reasons I learn and grow so much as I read blogs, explore Diigo bookmarks, and skim tweets is that I am personally interested in the topics. I am usually seeking out the information because I want to know, not because somebody is telling me to do so. Will the fact that I'll be requiring my students to post on a discussion board or research a specific topic limit the power of their network? Will they have to wait until they are older (and can have more freedom online) before they see the true learning potential of the web? How do I balance developing social skills online with digging deeper into concepts? Clearly, I'm still a little uncertain about how social learning networks can be incorporated into K-12 schools.

Using Shelfari to Create Authentic Book Discussions

2008-12-08T23:26:00.002-05:00

This week I'll be teaching my students how to find, discuss, and review books on Shelfari.com. Some of my students helped create the video introduction (see above) by recording the narration. I used this video to kick-off the Shelfari project.

Today, I sent home the parent permission form and student agreement contract. In order for students to participate in Shelfari, they must return these forms.

Parent Permission Slip Shelfari

View SlideShare document or Upload your own.

If you're interested in using Shelfari with your readers, here the resources I created for this project (including my lesson plan):

Social Networks & Independent Reading

View SlideShare document or Upload your own.

Shelfari Book Review Template

View SlideShare document or Upload your own.

Shelfari Rubrics

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own.

Lesson Planning & Implementation (Blog Response #4)

2008-12-04T15:49:00.006-05:00

I recently read a really fascinating article in The Reading Teacher called “Literacy Instruction With Digital and Media Technologies” by Diane Barone and Todd Wright that discussed how blended classrooms can engage our students (you’ll need to be a member of The Reading Teacher in order to read it). In the article, the authors cite 3 key ideas that teachers must remember:

“1. Simply using software programs on computers does not prepare students for new literacies’ expectations.
2. New literacies are deictic in that they constantly change and require teachers to embrace these changes.
3. New literacies are essential in classrooms so that equal opportunities are offered to all students.”

Just after I read the article, I cotaught a lesson with the library/media specialist in the computer lab. During this lesson, she wanted the students to locate information on World Book Online in order to answer questions. About half way through the period, she came over to me and asked, “Why do all the students think they can type the whole question into search box instead of the key words?” That basic question reminded me that simply using technology is not enough to develop literacy skills. The students need direct instruction, modeling, and support strategies for identifying key words, selecting a search result, and skimming the text. The lesson had a decent foundation, but our implementation needed improvement.

What was even more striking to me was that fact that we had just finished a key word search unit in connection with our science fair research. Just like every other skill the students learn in school, once is not enough. We need to teach, reteach, confer, model, and repeat until new literacy skills become second nature to the students.

It will take a lot of work—but I’m excited for the direction we’re heading in. Now if only I could teach in a one-to-one laptop classroom like the teacher in the article and the Floydada Independent School District do!

Safety and Security (Blog Response #3)

2008-11-20T16:28:00.005-05:00

Ever since I started teaching, I've learned to loathe two different graphics:

Those two images have prevented me from using powerful tools that would allow my students to explore, connect, analyze, evaluate, and create. Each year, more and more sites are being blocked, and the low grumbling of teachers has become a louder, unified (and often unkind) protest. How are we to prepare our students to be 21st century citizens when we only have access to the marvels of 1999?

Slowly, a movement of change is coming. Just this past week, when I was blocked from using a really great educational site (Kerpoof) with my students, I felt that progress would never come to my district. Then, suddenly, the site was unblocked and a “progressive technology committee” was created that consists of teachers, tech department members, and administrators. Although it’s probably more of a trickle than a wave of change, it feels like we’re suddenly moving in the right direction.

We met for the first time this past Wednesday. The assistant technology coordinator began the meeting by explaining the current district filtering policy. Because of CIPA and board policy, we’re conservative in our filtering habits when compared to other districts. But, there is no doubt that we need to become more progressive in our use of web-based resources (including web 2.0). Before we change, we need to spend time building strong PR with teachers and parents to explains the reasons we’ll be using web 2.0 in the classroom. Our AUPs need to be updated. We need a mission statement, standards, and guidelines for best practices with regards to internet-enhanced instruction.

And then, he said the magic words: “We spent the last eight years building our infrastructure. Now it’s in the hands of the curriculum. We need you to tell us how we should be using the system. How can the curriculum drive our technology?” A shimmer of excitement, I’m sure, filled my eyes. It’s like music to my ears! The tech department is ready to shift the way it functions, as long as we help to build a foundation of educated teachers who understand and know how to keep our students safe, but not secluded.

I’m sure there will be many, many bumps in the road ahead. I’m sure there will be times of frustration and miscommunication. Still, I’m glad to know we’re on the right path—even if it’s just the beginning!

Research & the Reflective Practioner (Response 2)

2008-11-10T20:51:00.005-05:00

I’ve been thinking a great deal about how my research habits have changed over the past 10 years. During my secondary school and undergrad days, I completed most of my research projects by going to an actual library, checking out hardcopy texts, and using the one journal database subscription purchased by my school. Research was something I conducted only when I was assigned a research paper. It was never self-directed or self-initiated.

Clearly, research has changed in the short time since I was in school.

I’m not a nonfiction type of person. If you looked at my bookshelf, you’d see novel after novel. One small shelf is dedicated to a few nonfiction books. Most of those books were assigned readings by a professor or administrator, or are informational books I thought sounded interesting, but never actually finished reading. I just don’t have the patience or attention span to read entire nonfiction books unless I’m required to do so. But the internet makes informational text accessible to my learning style. I can skip from page to page, following my interests. I can also quickly come back to a page if later on I realize that I need it, or if my interests change. With a hardcopy text, it can be difficult and time consuming to find the specific information you need or want.

Because of the choice I’m allowed on the internet, I conduct informal research on a regular basis nowadays—without having to be told to do so. Through my RSS aggregator, research that I’m interested in reading is delivered right to my doorstep. I find myself reading far more than I ever did before, often following links in a direction I hadn’t originally planned, but am suddenly intrigued to learn more about. I can read the most current thoughts, concerns, and research findings of the top educational minds in the world, as well as teachers similar to myself. Answers and inspiration are now at my fingertips.

I’ve found one problem with digital age research, though.

http://flickr.com/photos/shareski/2942564830/

As a result, sometimes I find myself being too hard on myself. Teaching is a complex process, and good teachers are constantly reflecting upon and refining their craft. But, I have to remember to give myself (and others!) time to grow, and not become overwhelmed by the tools and strategies that other great teachers are using. Sometimes, our small steps are really bigger than we see them to be in the moment, and as long as we're still moving forward (in the right direction), being overly critical of ourselves and others is counterproductive for the students and the school climate as a whole.

Haunted House Student (Semi) Podcasts

2008-11-09T00:53:00.002-05:00

This year I co-teach writer's workshop with the learning support teacher as part of a full inclusion model the district is beginning to use. I'm lucky to have a great LS teacher who is willing to try new things!

Over the past two weeks, the students worked in mixed-ability teams to write 2nd person point of view stories about kids who explore haunted houses. We turned the room into a radio station, and the kids recorded their stories, complete with some sound effects. We don't have an RSS feed for their work, but it's close to being a podcast.

The kids learned a lot and had a great deal of fun! Check out their work here.

Web 2.0 Lesson Outline: Writer's Workshop

2008-11-08T23:42:00.006-05:00

Through the blog Teachers Love SMART Boards, I found this great web 2.0 tool, called Big Universe, that allows students to view and create digital picture books. I'm planning to use this tool as a publishing tool for writer's workshop stories.

You can check out Big Universe here.

Kerpoof in the Classroom

2008-11-08T22:54:00.002-05:00

Click here to view the presentation in full screen mode.

Creating My Own Social Network (Blog Response 1)

2008-10-29T17:17:00.002-04:00

Over the past two years, I’ve noticed myself spending more time online reading the opinions, reflections, and ideas that others post. Often, I have a personal response to what somebody writes: “That’s so true!” “What a great idea!” or “I’m not sure I agree with that…” But because I learned literacy as a one-direction skill (you read, think about it, and move on), I hardly ever post a reply to the blogs or discussion boards I read. I haven’t fully embraced the conversational, read-WRITE aspect of the internet yet.

In part, I think some of the reason I’m a silent participant in the internet is I’m worried about people judging my ideas and posts. A few years ago, I joined the PA Keystones Technology Integrators program. One part of this program is a listserv. During the first few years, people didn’t understand how to properly send messages on the listserv, and other members quickly grew annoyed, responded harshly, and nitpicked over the message content.

This made me never want to post anything. In the last year or two, things have calmed down, and the listserv has once again become a productive, healthy learning environment. Still, I’ve only posted 1 message in 3 ½ years! However, having spent more and more time reading blogs, discussion boards, and wikis, I’m learning that the whole purpose of the read-write web is to evaluate (not judge) and respond to the ideas of others.

I have been taking small steps over the past few months, however. From time to time, I’ll reply to my favorite blog, Teachers Love Smart Boards. Although it’s more of a practical teaching blog (it gives ideas and challenges for how to use the Smart Board to enhance instruction) instead of the philosophical or debate-like blogs that are gaining popularity, the occasional post here and there was a rewarding and growing experience—especially since Jim Hollis (the blogger) always responds to you through email.

I’ve also participated in the Smart Board forum.

This has been a great way for me to troubleshoot problems I’m having with my Smart Board, hear what other teachers are doing, and share my ideas. The practical application of these two communities has kept me hooked.

Even though I haven’t yet found my voice in my personal learning network, I have developed a strong (though one-sided) network of blogs, Diigo and Delicious bookmarks, twitter feeds, and discussion boards. I’m noticing that many of the same people participate in the different environments I visit—which makes it feel more personal, and less clinical.

I think it’s time for me to speak up, and start communicating through my personal learning network. I expect my students to blog, post in discussion boards, and respond to others, so it’s probably time for me to do the same. I’m ready (and excited) to take the next step—I just need a little push.

Will educational change be a trickle or a tsunami?

2008-10-23T20:04:00.002-04:00

In class tonight, we talked about education change in the United States, specifically in regards to School 2.0. I've also been reading several blogs (Will Richardson's, for example) about the topic, so these questions just keep rolling around in my head, and I'm not sure of the answers:
1. What type of change does our educational system really need to prepare our students for the 21st century?
2. When will this change occur? Will it keep trickling in, like it has during the last 8 years, or will there suddenly be a huge reformation?
3. How do we facilitate this change to insure we don't lose great teachers (due to burnout), yet keep our students' needs as the number 1 priority?
4. How do we make sure all stakeholders (students, parents, teachers, administration, school boards, tax payers) come to a productive consensus?

I have some ideas, but their not solidly developed yet. I'm hoping to explore these thoughts in my current grad class, Social Networking for Educators.

A Mindtool for Online Research--Reflection

2008-10-16T17:57:00.006-04:00

I finished making my mindtool, which is meant to help students strengthen their online research and reading skills. Check it out at: http://www.wix.com/cmitton/Science-Fair-Research. I began using it with my students and received feedback from other teachers. Based on both experiences, I've decided to make the following modifications for next year:

1) Before beginning the science fair research project, I'll find a few websites of interest for the class to read together. Throughout a series of mini-lessons, I will introduce the students to Flowgram as I read the site out loud, think aloud, highlight key details, and draft summary notes. Then, I'll have the students work with partners to practice the strategy on another assigned website within Flowgram. Finally, they will work individually on an assigned site in Flowgram. I'm making this change because I realized that learning to generate research questions, navigate search engines, evaluate websites, and then read, comprehend, and reflect about online content is a lot to tackle! Introducing the skills in smaller stages will help scaffold student learning.

2) Secondly, as we used the webquest this year, I added a step into the process. I had the students bookmark each site they'd like to use for their research using Internet Explorer. After they located 3-7 sources, then we added them into Flowgram, highlighted, and wrote summary notes. This chunked the learning for the students into manageable pieces, and it also made writing the bibliography easier.

I'm sure as the students continue to work through the mindtool, we'll need to make some more adjustments. But, overall, I'm really pleased with the progress we're making as researchers and readers!

Online Researching: Mindtool Action Plan

2008-10-05T18:29:00.001-04:00

Make a Smilebox postcard

Creating Critical Readers: Both Offline and Online

2008-09-29T22:05:00.004-04:00

As teachers, we've heard it time and time again: research has shown that the top performing students read 1 hour or more a day. In fact, the students in the top 10% read more in a year than the bottom 10% reads in their life.

But, in today's digital age, what qualifies as reading? Last week, I started to discuss Will Richardson's blog about online reading skills. Since then, I've explored a few more articles on the topic. In the September 19, 2008 issue of the Chronicle Review, an article titled Online Literacy is a Lesser Kind implores teachers to find a balance between fast-paced internet reading and slower, hard-copy reading.

By discussing a Neilson study on eye movement when reading online, they argue that digital texts receive less attention from the reader.
"…Teenagers skip through the Web even faster than adults do, but with a lower success rate for completing tasks online (55 percent compared to 66 percent). Nielsen writes: 'Teens have a short attention span and want to be stimulated. That's also why they leave sites that are difficult to figure out.' For them, the Web isn't a place for reading and study and knowledge. It spells the opposite."
Because of these learned behaviors, they argue that some classes need to remain unplugged from the digital world, focused on Victorian novels, and pencil-paper tasks.
"It is about the reading styles they employ [online]. They race across the surface, dicing language and ideas into bullets and graphics, seeking what they already want and shunning the rest. They convert history, philosophy, literature, civics, and fine art into information, material to retrieve and pass along."

While I agree with the underlining concept of maintaining a healthy balance, the facts the article uses to persuade me actually has my mind racing in a different direction. If, according to ETS results published in a NY Times article, only 39% of college freshmen reach proficiency in "core functional levels of Internet literacy" on the iSkills test, then what reading strategies do we need to be teaching our students so they can efficiently find, evaluate, synthesize, and respond to online content?

As I watch my students attempt to gather information online each year, I notice repeated behaviors. Google a few keywords, click on the first few links, check for interesting pictures, video, or sound files (not to mention colorful backgrounds and big text), and within ten minutes claim that there is nothing on the Internet about your topic. To me, this is just unacceptable--not because the kids aren't trying (I think they are!), but because I haven't given them the skills to be successful.

In the Chronicle article, they mention "racing across the surface," hunting for "bullets and images," and "shunning the rest of the text." I get frustrated with my students when they do this, but, honestly, that's what I do myself. When reading my blogroll, I skim and scan, quickly deleting posts that don't capture my interest. With so much quality content online, isn't that a reasonable strategy as a reader? I think my problem has been that I don't explicitly model my online strategies in think-alouds like I do with offline reading.

In addition to committing to use more teacher modeling, I hunted around the web for a good online highlighting tool. Awesome Highlighter is not bad, but on a few types of websites it does not work. Additionally, students have to keep their own list of URL addresses that are created when they highlight. With the organizational skills of my 5th graders, this is asking a lot. Diigo is a better choice, since it allows for highlighting and inline commenting, but it might be a little too complex for some of my students. Flowgrams seem to be my best option. All the websites for one research topic are stored in one convenient location. Students can record audio comments, highlight text, add typed notes, and embed their final compilation on our class website. They can share and discuss sources with their teams. I'd much rather have them create a Flowgram than become copy-and-paste kids, don't you?

Literacy Means More than It Used To

2008-09-23T17:38:00.005-04:00

The first time I can remember using the internet was back in high school for science fair research. I spent hours and hours and hours searching for information that would help me with my project. My searching tools and my online reading skills just weren’t up to par, and by the time I was done, I had a headache and was exhausted.

Today’s kids experience a completely different online world. They grow up reading digital content, and many of them already add their own ideas to the web through discussion boards, chat rooms, and blogs. They are excited to communicate with their peers world-wide and some have developed their own online reading strategies, for example, scanning a page and following hyperlinks.

In Will Richardson’s blog today, he wrote about the differences between online reading and hardcopy reading, and how a balance between the two is essential for developing strong thinking skills. When kids read online, they are typically seeking out, evaluating, and applying new information. When they read a novel, they are getting lost in a story, analyzing the plot, and discussing characters. Both skills are important, but both require unique teaching strategies. Richardson concludes his discussion by writing:
“What continues to concern me, though, is the paucity of conversation about any of this in our schools. This is hugely complex, and it requires a strategy and good pedagogy. I feel almost blessed that my kids enjoy reading books, longer novels, Meg Cabot and Mike Lupica type stuff that are even above their age levels a bit. And I love talking to them about what they read. But as I watch Tucker search for and read helps and hints about Spore, I can see the difference. It’s not bad, but it is different. And it’s a difference we need to name.”

I’ve been thinking about the need for digital literacy teaching strategies for several months now—not just how to teach kids to effectively (and safely!) find, evaluate, and respond to online text, but also how to teach kids to evaluate other types of media—pictures, video, animations, and so on. One of my favorite books as a language arts teacher is Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis’s Strategies that Work, and I find myself wishing there was a companion book for digital literacy!

Even though there seems to be a void in sound pedagogy for digital literacy, I don’t want to neglect this area because I feel unprepared. So, with the help of my students, we’re taking it one step at a time, helping one another, and using reciprocal teaching to grow as a community of learners. On the first day of school, when I explained to the kids that we’d be participating in the Read/Write Web, they said: “You mean we’ll actually get to talk to other kids? People will read what we write?” They were immediately thrilled about having a real, meaningful audience.

Before I could release them into the World Wide Web, I wanted to ensure that they had the necessary safety strategies. I used BBC’s Safe Surfing activity to introduce the class to basic online safety guidelines. Then, the students created their own online safety pledge, added images and student-created illustrations, and used the document as their desktop background. The next several times we went into the lab, the kids sat beside somebody new and shared their Online Safety Background with their neighbor. This allowed them to take pride in their work and refresh their memory.

I felt confident that the kids were ready to communicate with others online, and blogging about our independent reading books seemed like a great place to start. Picking the right blog site was a little tricky. I explored several popular blogs:
1. Blogger: This site is open to the public, and some kids were still fuzzy about what qualifies as “personal information.” I thought a private blog would be the best starting point, with the goal of moving to a larger community as the year progress. Plus, our school filter blocks Blogger.
2. Moodle: Our class Moodle site has a blogging tool, but commenting on others blogs isn’t an option. Students could express their ideas, but wouldn’t be able to hear from their readers. Without the two-way communication, what would be the point?
3. Edublogs: Many schools seem to be using Edublogs, but every time I tried to sign-up, the site was down or really slow. Trying new tools is stressful enough when it’s working, so I did not want to risk using an unreliable site.
4. ePals: They have a great system in place, but it was hard for me to see exactly how this would work in my class. In an email response from ePals, they stated that only the teacher can setup a blog. I was not sure if that meant I had to share my blog with the whole class, or if they would each get a section on the class blog.
5. 21classes: This is the blog site I chose. To view the kids’ work, users have to logon. (Outside visitors see a message that “No entries have been posted” for public view.) That protects the students against accidentally revealing their name, age, and address to the world. I have the option of opening up my blog to outside readers at a later date, when the kids are more proficient about online safety. Also, our blogs are connected through a community portal, but each student has their own individual blog. Navigating the site is a little confusing, but the students are working hard to help one another become familiar with the platform. Finally, the site looks nice, but there aren’t 50 different themes that will distract the students from the real task of writing and responding to others.

Now that I’d picked a blog site, I needed to communicate the plan and purpose to parents. In addition to modeling blogging for parents on my class weebly site, I shared a great blogging tutorial, since many had not heard the word before.

With the parents on board, it was time to for the students to start. Now, just one week into blogging, my students are excited. I’m always overhearing comments like: “Three people responded to my entry!” and “That really made me think!” We’re just beginning to develop our online reading/writing strategies, but I have begun to map out my plan for upcoming instruction.

Click here for full screen version

Additionally, I spent some time exploring tools to help kids develop their online reading strategies. Mark Bauerline blogged that “When [schools] add laptops to classes and equip kids with on-campus digital tools, they add something else, too: the reading habits kids have developed after thousands of hours with those same tools in leisure time.” Still, I’ve watched my fifth graders, and while some do have well-developed digital literacy skills, most do not know how to search, scan, evaluate, and respond in an online world. They need more strategic support. In my next blog, I plan to write about the reading tools I’ve found to help them develop their skills.

Mindtool Action Plan Revisited

2008-09-15T22:22:00.003-04:00

After spending more time thinking about my mindtool project, I've decided to focus solely on the research phrase of the science fair project. In this concept map, I've listed the learning goals, tasks, and possible ways to achieve the goals. As you can see, I have several ideas. My plan is to narrow the web as I progress through the project to use just a few tools well.

Re-envisioning My Own Learning

2008-09-09T19:14:00.003-04:00

Tonight I worked on a concept map about an upcoming science unit of study: the scientific method.

It was easy to create the specific learning goals, but I really struggled at first when it came to selecting the best mindtools to facilitate my students' learning during this process. As I learn more about my students' learning styles this year, I think it will be easier to understand what they actually need to learn and be successful.

To complete the mindtool project, I think I'll need to focus on just one section of my map. Since researching is the hardest part (and the most dreaded by the students), I'm going to focus on that section. The students will be allowed to work in partners this year, so finding a collaborative online method will be key. As a teacher, I'll also need to see what work each team member is completing. I like the idea of a concept map, but I'm not sure how to easily give feedback and guidance & ensure that each student fairly contributes. I found another possible tool called NoteStar that I'm going to look at more closely.

Tools to Challenge the Mind

2008-09-08T21:56:00.004-04:00

This past week, I've been think a lot about Mindtools and Digital Natives. As I read David H. Jonassen's introductory chapters in Modeling with Technology: Mindtools for Conceptual Change (2006), I felt a little conflicted about some of his points. At first, when he discussed how mindtools require students to "think deeply about the content they are learning" and require "the development of learner skills in a limited number of programs that can be applied to a broad range of subject content," I was impressed (p. 18 & 21). Doesn't every teacher want to foster higher level thinking skills in the most efficient way possible?

However, as I read on, I couldn't help being distracted by several nagging questions in the back of my mind. First, the examples most frequently discussed in the book seemed to cater to the analytic or linguistic learners (most specifically the many database and flowchart examples). I was honestly left wondering if these ideas would engage digital natives--especially elementary school kids. As Marc Prensky pointed out, our students are accustomed to programs like Seasame Street, so they know learning can be fun, engaging, and challenging -- all while bringing about the conceptual change Jonassen discusses.

Second, while I like the idea of using a few programs to accomplish a multitude of tasks (and for really great ideas on how to use PowerPoint in many different ways see http://tied2lenski.wikispaces.com/), I could not help wondering if that is often not the most efficient method. For example, while we can create concept maps in PowerPoint, it can be done much more quickly in Inspiration or at http://www.bubbl.us/. Instead of spending brain power trying to figure out how to create and connect the bubbles and resize font and shapes, students can spend their cognitive energy thinking about the concepts being studied.

Aside from these two questions, I found a lot of value in Jonassen's mindtools philosophy. For example, I whole-heartedly agree that concept mapping should be modeled by teachers and created by students before, during, and after units of study. Comparing these multiple concept maps can allow the teacher to see how student understanding has changed and grown. This past year, the teachers in my building received in-service on a more powerful method of concept mapping, called Power Mapping. Not only do my students really enjoy Power Mapping, but it forces them to think deeply about the connections between new and prior knowledge. It allows students to see the importance of various topics in the concept map, and also facilitates reading and writing skills. In fact, the elementary teachers loved the idea so much that we introduced the method to the secondary teachers this summer. You can see our brief PowerPoint overview below and the accompanying handout here.

Power Mapping

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: concept mapping)

Inspiration has a similar form of Power Mapping, but we usually create our maps in Smart Notebook. (Perhaps this contradicts my argument earlier that we should use the most efficient software to complete a task, thereby saving brain power! However, Inspiration's model is different than my district's, and I sacrifice efficiency for consistency in this case.)

Another mindtool that I strongly value in my class is storytelling. Jonassen stated that "humans seem to have an innate ability and predisposition to organize and represent their experiences in the form of stories, because stories require less cognitive effort to understand than exposition" (Modeling with Technology, page 18). Wes Fryer supports this idea, claiming that "as human beings, we are hardwired for storytelling." He gives standards-based lesson ideas for using a web 2.0 tool to facilitate storytelling with digital natives. Voice Thread is a great tool to share stories, analyze graphics, and investigate cultures and languages worldwide. Last year, second graders in our school participated in the Voices of the World challenge to improve their literacy skills. I'd like to use some of Wes Fryer's ideas in my classroom this year.

I actually came across Wes Fryer's storytelling page through another blog called "Raised Digital." In this blog, J. Brueck points out that teachers need to focus on the learning potential behind a computer-based tool, and not the bells and whistles. What makes Wes Fryer's storytelling page such a valuable resource is that it's focused on learning and not on cool, new gadgets. (I have to admit to being tempted by new gadgets now and then!) I think that Jonassen is essentially saying the same thing: teachers should create lessons that will cause students to construct, challenge, and change their understandings of the world. However, I think we could also do this in ways that will engage students who aren't linear, analytical, linguistic learners. Maybe that's in the chapters to come?

Guiding My Digital Students Through Their Digital World

2008-09-02T19:56:00.003-04:00

Sometimes it seems like an impossible task--keeping up with the constant flow of new digital tools our students are already using, and also teaching those digital natives ways to use their favorite tools to improve their thinking. I just finished reading a blog entry by Wesley Fryer that discusses how teachers seem to be stuck in the last century (http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/08/29/live-tweeting-back-to-school-night/). While there were moments of his entry that made me chuckle, I was struck by the seriousness of making sure our students are equipped with the tools they need to survive in a flat, 21st century world.

That leads to my goal for the fall semester of 2008: to improve my ability to model digital-age learning and to promote/model digital citizenship and responsibility. In our schools today, it seems like these important skills (which are also National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers) are being pushed aside for standardized testing scores. My hope is to resist the pressure to focus solely on one way of measuring student understand (the PSSAs) and help them learn how to demonstrate their learning through online discussions, blogs, podcasts, and more. Even though the pressure is there to "send home writing prompts specifically relating" to the standardized writing assessment (see the blog mentioned above), I know that teaching my students to participate in the read-write web in meaningful ways will more than prepare them for both the PSSAs and the world they will face after graduation.

Podcast & Screencast Tools

2007-07-20T12:13:00.000-04:00

Tony Vincent posted two blogs recently that are all about some useful tools for podcasting & screencasting:

1) Jing (a tool that captures your computer screen in still or video form--it's REALLY easy to use for screen casting!) http://tonyvincent.net/?q=node/27

2) Soundsnap (a website that offers free podsafe audio--one of the best sites that I've seen) http://learninginhand.com/blog/index.html

Check out his blogs to learn more.

Read Across America Podcast

2007-07-09T14:01:00.000-04:00

Click here to listen to the podcast we made in class today. It's a promo for Read Across America week in elementary schools.

Colonial Chronicles WebQuest

2007-07-09T13:59:00.001-04:00

My brand new website about the colonial days can be found at: http://www.personal.psu.edu/cjm402/Index.htm. This site was made for fifth grade students and is set up similar to a webquest. Click here to see the lesson plan for this site.

Internet in the Classroom--"One Thing"

2007-07-09T13:52:00.000-04:00

I learned a lot in the "Internet in the Classroom" graduate course this summer. I created an entire website from scratch, set up my Google Reader, learned how to use blogs and wikis in the classroom, and so much more. However, I would have liked to have compiled a collection of ready-made web resources for use with my curriculum. There are already a bunch of great lessons, web quests, and slam dunks on the web that would match well with the topics I teach, but I usually don't have time to search for them during the school year. It would have been great to have compiled a list of resources I could refer to during the busy seasons of the year.

I'm a Google Addict

2007-07-04T23:31:00.001-04:00

Over the past week, I've become addicted to Google. It started when I set up my Google Reader to keep up-to-date with various blogs. While I was doing that, I noticed that I could personalize my Google page, called iGoogle. Then I noticed that I could "add stuff" to my Google page, so I began exploring the gadgets. I found so many useful tools, that I considered having my students set up their own iGoogle page. In fact, Google has a page with suggestions for educators (http://www.google.com/educators/p_php.html). There are many valuable gadgets they could add to their page, but here are just a few:

1) Map-My-Word Thesaurus--This tool does more than just give a list of synonyms. Instead, it presents synonyms in the form of a concept map, grouping synonyms of similar connotations together. For years I've been trying to teach my students that even if two words are synonyms, they could have different connotations, but this tool just might be the key to helping my students really understand that concept. When a user rolls their mouse over the concept map, they learn the various meaning of different word clusters.

2) Merriam Webster's Dictionary Search

3) Wikipedia Search--Adding the Merriam Webster Dictionary Search and the Wikipedia Search gadgets to student iGoogle pages will allow them to have two highly used tools in an easily accessible location.

4) American Heritage Picture of the Day--Every day this gadget displays a different image from American History. It also gives a one sentence summary of the picture. These pictures could spark discussions and further research.

5) Online Stopwatch--Sometimes our students need a little more focusing and motivation. The stopwatch is a great way to individually chunk online activities to keep students on-task and focused.

As with any technology, there are some concerns about using iGoogle with students. For example, some of the gadgets are guaranteed time-wasters (such as games) and some are not appropriate for students. Students will need to be taught responsible use of the program and understand that there are consequences for misusing it. Also, students need to supply an email account in order to create an iGoogle page. In my district, the students don't have school email accounts, although some have email at home. Lack of email addresses might limit use.

However, teachers can use Google's free Page Creator to create a webpage with all the helpful gadgets for their students. It's a WYSIWYG application, so I tried it out, and it was very simple and easy to create a webpage. I'm going to have my students set the page I created as their home page (http://mitton5student.googlepages.com/home), so every time they logon they go immediately to the site.

I’ve also started looking at Google Docs & Spreadsheets, which allow students to collaborate on documents over the internet. With Google Docs, students and teachers can decide who can access and edit documents. Additionally, teachers can check the revisions history to see how students have revised their work, how they contributed to the project, and how long each student worked on the document. Work is automatically saved, so students won’t accidentally lose their project. Once again, students need to create a Google or Gmail account to use Google Docs.

For most Google applications, you can find a crib sheet for teachers and students at http://www.google.com/educators/activities.html. Regardless of whether my students end up creating iGoogle pages, there are so many helpful tools that I like to use on my page, such as my Google Reader, news from CNN and eSchool, a To-Do List, and the weather forecast. Knowing the way technology develops, there will probably be four times as many gadgets and open source programs from which to choose by the end of the year, which will just increase my use of Google. I can't wait to see how it continues to improve!

"Am I Really Learning?" Part 2--The Need for Quality Integration

2007-06-30T20:25:00.000-04:00

This week, Kidcast (http://www.intelligenic.com/blog/?page_id=2) posted an interview with Bernie Dodge, creator of the WebQuest. During the podcast, Dr. Dodge stated, “When new technology comes along, we forget what we already know about teaching.” He went on to explain that we overlook the principles of best practice, and we sometimes coast along on the novelty of the technology without really using it in a meaningful way. This got me thinking about the ways technology is used in schools that don’t really help kids create, judge, analyze, and synthesize. To quote Dr. Dodge, “A lot of teachers go: ‘Oh boy, wikis!’ and then do stupid things with them.”

Any new technology can be misused. Take the example of Gizmoz, which I discussed in my last blog entry. That could easily just be used for simple fact regurgitation, but creative teachers could think of ways to use Gizmoz that would force the use of higher level thinking skills. Moreover, it’s easy to Podcast today, but we need to podcast with an educational purpose in mind. Kid-created podcasts should get our students thinking at higher levels, be constructivist in nature, and have practical applications.

Another reason why it’s extremely important that teachers use technology for strong pedagogical reasons is that administrators and legislators are watching. Technology is expensive and they want to see the benefits, or they’ll cut finding. They’re already complaining about the lack of student improvement on standardized testing. According to a study released by the U.S. Education Department, “educational software has no measurable impact on student achievement.” That could partly be due to the fact that much of educational software doesn’t really require higher level thinking. Handing a student a laptop preloaded with reading and writing won’t magically improve standardized test scores.

On the other hand, eMINTS (Missouri Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies) “provides schools and teachers with educational-technology tools, curriculum, and more than 200 hours of professional development to change how teachers teach and students learn. The achievement of students in the eMINTS-equipped classroom was repeatedly more than 10% higher than in classrooms without.” According to that study, educational technology can make a difference when properly used ("A Flawed Measure of Ed Tech," http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2007/tc20070410_846623.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_technology).

Bernie Dodge mentioned in the KidCast that if he created WebQuests just a few years later, he doesn’t think the idea would have caught on—the standardized testing world would have squashed the idea. (And he has a funny solution to the problem of standardized testing. Listen to the podcast it hear it.) How unfortunate that would have been! The good news? He thinks the age of high-stakes testing is on it’s way out and will soon be replaced with more problem-based learning.

Regardless of what the scores say, our use of technology can still teach 21-century skills and prepare our students to compete in a global environment. If used properly, it can teach critical thinking, collaboration, and analysis. Why is this important? Watch the YouTube clip below and you'll get a very clear understanding of the need for 21-century skills.

So, the next time I’m selecting which technology to use, and how to use it, I’m going to think long and hard about whether the kids really are learning.

Bernie Dodge gives one more piece of advice: “Schools are too much about talking about stuff… Ask yourself, ‘When does this actually get used in the adult world?’ WebQuests aren’t about teaching a standard directly; they're much better at teaching that standard in its place in the world.” We should strive to make sure all our uses of technology have that same goal.

(A side note: I've stumbled across several eMINTS resources over the past few years, and they really are very good. Check out their site at: http://www.emints.org/ethemes/.)

Am I Really Learning? Part 1 -- Gizmoz

2007-06-26T12:57:00.000-04:00

Today's technology can let even the least computer-savvy user do amazing things! If teachers truly embrace technology and wisely integrate it into their instruction, it can make learning so fun that kids are left asking "Am I really learning?" They'll be so engaged in creating, collaborating, and communicating that they won't realize they're also learning math, science, language arts, social studies, and critical thinking skills.

Here's an example of how technology can "trick" our students into learning. I was reading Tony Vincent's blogs today (http://tonyvincent.net/ & http://www.learninginhand.com/blog/index.html). While reading his blogs, I found an entry about "Gizmoz," an online tool to create animations of you, historical figures, or cartoons. With a few clicks of the mouse, anybody can create a really simple, yet entertaining clip at http://www.gizmoz.com/. I must admit, it sounded interesting, but I wasn't so sure about the educational value until I watched his clip.

Express Yourself with Gizmoz Video Clips

After watching that clip, the educational uses of Gizmoz began to swim around in my head. There is so much that could be done--advertisements, book reviews, historical newscasts, short introductory segments for lessons...the list could go on and on. Tony Vincent even suggests a very smart idea: "Create a character and use it as an avatar for Skype (using the plug-in Gizmoz provides). The student doing the talking must remain in character while the rest of the class asks questions." ("Gizmoz Animated Characters," 06/07/2007) I was still hesitant, though. Sure, Tony's clip inspired me to consider the ways I could use Gizmoz in school, but I was guessing it would be time consuming to create an animation. So, I decided to create a very simple clip to test the program. The clip below was created for my online summer reading club consisting of incoming 5th and 6th graders, as a motivation to get them to continue reading and researching.

Express Yourself with Gizmoz Video Clips

As you can see, this clip has limited uses, but creating it allowed me to really evaluate Gizmoz, and I discovered some benefits and some concerns. First, I was pleased at how quickly clips can be created. Once I created an account with Gizmoz, it literally took me less than 5 minutes to create my animation--and most of that time was spent exploring the options they provide for backgrounds, voice, etc. My animation used a character created by Gizmoz for free public use, which helped make the process faster. I also created a "sticker" (which is like a video clip, but less background movement) from a photo of myself. It took more time to load everything, but it was fairly easy to do. Certainly kids could do it!

But that leads to my concerns:

1) Animations are saved to the public domain on Gizmoz, so anybody can view and use your animations. I don't want my kids uploading their photos and creating animations that can be viewed and seen by the entire world. If Gizmoz is used by students in the classroom, then students should be warned to only use Gizmoz-created characters or characters created from free-use pictures (i.e. photos of historical figures).

2) While you can create a Gizmoz from any photograph of people found on the internet, kids need to be taught how to determine the copyright regulations for each photograph. The language can be very technical, and elementary school students might struggle to decide if a particular image can legally be used in their animation. Providing clear, specific guidelines and a list of free use image sites for the students would limit copyright infringements.

3) While most of the add-ons for heads are in decent taste, some of the add-ons are not appropriate for elementary school (for example, one body type is a belly dancer). If Gizmoz is used in the classroom, a mutual understanding between what is appropriate and not appropriate to click must be established.

4) The speech (whether self-recorded or user-created text read by the computer) is limited to 20 seconds. However, this is really a teachable moment. Twenty seconds isn't long, so kids could be taught how to identify the most important, catchy information for their clip. Cutting out redundant, useless, or vague information is a skill any student could refine.

After really evaluating the site, I think there are ways teachers could effectively use Gizmoz in their classroom to make learning fun. It'll take setting expectations and rules with the students, but the benefits of safely using Gizmoz for educational projects are too numerous to overlook. Don't you think using it for valuable educational purposes could get the kids so engaged, that they are left asking "Am I really learning while having this much fun?"

Successful Searching on the Net

2007-06-25T14:02:00.000-04:00

There are millions upon millions of resources on the internet, and kids will conduct searches that will result in 1.4 mediocre sites. As teachers, we need to teach kids to limit their search results, so they don't develop search engine frustration! At "Four Nets for Better Searching" (http://webquest.sdsu.edu/searching/fournets.htm), kids and educators can find four easy ways to improve their internet searching skills.

Blogs and the Classroom

2007-04-09T17:54:00.000-04:00

Reflection logs and journals have been a part of the classroom for many, many years, but weblogs are a newer spin on the old idea. Instead of reflecting on learning in a notebook, kids can post their thoughts and reactions to a topic of study on their personal blog. The benefits? They know their peers and parents can read their work, so they are more motivated to do their best. They also enjoy posting comments about their classmates' blogs. The dangers? Kids might post too much information on their blog, putting them at risk. However, many programs (such as Moodle and eSchool Builder) have private blogs. In those situations, kids are safer because only class members can see their posts. Even so, teachers should provide the students with blog safety rules because many students will blog outside the classroom.

In my class, the kids blogged on eSchool Builder about their independent reading books. It was interesting to see how they improved their work once they saw how well some other students did. I never even needed to say anything about the quality to them; they self-reflected and worked harder all on their own!

Technology Integration-The Internet & Science

2007-03-25T17:33:00.000-04:00

The internet is a powerful and useful tool. For example, on page 342 of Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching, the authors give a suggestion to use the internet to gather data relating to global warming. Instead of simply being told about the problem, this internet activity allows students to construct an understanding of the effects of carbon dioxide on global temperatures. After collecting carbon dioxide levels and temperature readings from the internet, students graph the data and discuss the effects of carbon dioxide on the biosphere and atmosphere. Because most students already know how to surf the internet, their focus will be on the data they gather and not the technology itself, making the technology a seamless part of the lesson. However, Excel is a tricky program for fifth grade students, so their focus may shift away from the concepts to the technology when they begin to graph the data. Once they figure out how to create a graph in Excel, they’ll once again begin to concentrate on the content.

When students are gathering their research on global warming, they could use the Web 2.0 application called “NoteStar” to take notes and cite sources. When they logon to NoteStar (a free web resource found at http://notestar.4teachers.org/), they can visit any site, click on the NoteStar (NoteCard) icon, and jot their notes in the popup box. NoteStar automatically enters the URL, access date, and site name. It then prompts the student to gather the author’s name, last update, and other information necessary for a bibliography. Using this resource will help reduce plagiarism (it marks if students copy and paste quotes) and ensure accurate bibliographies.

During the lesson, students actively use the internet, but other technology is used “behind the scenes” to measure the carbon dioxide and global temperatures. As part of the lesson, the teacher could discuss scientific tools used to measure both. Since there is a PA standard relating to student understanding of scientific tools of measurement, this focus on the technology itself would be warranted. It would then be interesting to have the students consider how scientists would track the effects of global warming if the internet did not exist. Since rising carbon dioxide levels and temperatures are a global problem, we need a global tool to quickly gather the data. Without the internet, how would scientists be able to understand the full implications of the problem? While scientists could fax their data to each other, the process would be more time consuming. This could lead to an interesting discussion about how technology improves life, which could be compared and contrasted with the social studies topic of the industrial revolution. Therefore, the project could help the students construct understandings across the curriculum, which what every administrator wants to see happen.

Software Tools in Content Areas

2007-02-25T19:48:00.000-05:00

Today's students think, learn, and create differently than their teachers did. Called "digital natives," these students have grown up in a digital world, often spending more time on online than watching TV. They IM, listen to podcasts, view streamed video, and blog on a daily basis. Dr. Barry Bruce of the Baylor College of Medicine stated that, "Different kinds of experiences lead to different brain structures." As a result, these students require a different learning environment from their predecessors in order to achieve. (See http://jdorman.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/PETE%26C+Engaging+Digital+Natives+2007.pdf for more information on digital natives and their teachers, "digital immigrants.") Thankfully, there is a vast amount of software available to help teachers create a learning environment suited for these unique learners.

For example, PowerPoint can be used for student publishing. In the past, this piece of software was used for basic slideshow presentations. Today, students have the capability to use it for so much more. In my classroom, students created animated picture books using PowerPoint. In groups of two, they drafted a creative fictional story. Then, they analyzed how picture books use both words and illustrations to convey the author's message. Using Paint and PowerPoint, they illustrated their stories. They then added animation in PowerPoint, allowing their characters to run, talk, dance, and so much more. Finally, they recorded narration. They created a dynamic story and learned valuable problem solving skills along the way.

One of the successes of this project was that the students learned valuable problem solving skills with minimal teacher facilitation. In fact, they often discovered how to add a unique animation and had to teach me how it was done! They were highly motivated and engaged, all while developing their writing, editing, revising, and fluency skills!

Screen shot from students' animated picture book

Another great software tool I use in my class is the SmartBoard software. SmartNotebook works in conjunction with the SmartBoard and allows learning to become interactive. Learning the 13 colonies, a new math concept, or correcting the "everyday edit" becomes more hands on when the SmartBoard is used. Additionally, students use the SmartRecorder to created videos about math problem solving.

Screen shot of student created eGuide
(movie made with SmartRecorder)

Perhaps my favorite piece of software is an online one. eSchool Building is a learning management tool which gives my students opportunity to discuss literature, current events, and social studies topics online. The discussion board levels the playing field so that shy students can voice their opinions just as much as the more vocal ones. It gives students time to reflect on others' comments before responding. They also take quizzes and surveys on eSchool Builder and access class content through the website.

There are so many software programs than can transform education to meet the needs of today's students. Moreover, there are often numerous ways each piece of software can be used in the classroom. The demands of education today require that students and teachers must learn side-by-side. Wise teachers will allow their students to explore the potential of different programs without feeling threatened by the students' expertise. After all, these digital natives have grown up in a unique, rapid-paced world, and probably know more certain technologies than their teachers, the “digital immigrants.”

"Relative Advantage" and Technology Implementation

2007-02-06T21:41:00.000-05:00

Technology has the potential to make learning more engaging, hands-on, and accessible, but teachers are not likely to implement new technology unless they can clearly see the benefits (also known as "relative advantage"). Moreover, the relative advantage must be significant, especially for techno-phobic teachers. It's uncomfortable and scary to stand in front of 27 pairs of questioning, critical eyes when the technology fails to work as planned--a situation which seems inevitable. However, if teachers receive the necessary training and support, understand technology's ability to solve learning problems, and see immediate, measurable growth in student achievement, they are more willing to take the technology risk.

First, the average teacher needs training in order to implement technology into their daily instruction. Without the training, most teachers cannot see any relative advantage. In fact, a fellow teacher once said "It's pointless to teach technology. It's always changing and I can't keep up. By the time these kids graduate, there will be completely new devices and software, and we'll have wasted years teaching them out-dated technology." This teacher saw the use technology as the outcome, instead of viewing it as a process or tool to solve learning problems. Honestly, who can blame him, when software and standards are dropped into our laps, with little or no training or support? Rarely are we shown how to solve the problems the software might encounter (freezing screens, sound card troubles, etc). Only once in a while are the benefits of integrating technology into the classroom clearly explained to the entire faculty. If we are lucky, we receive a sporadic thirty-minute overview of the newest software subscription.

However, if training needs are accurately meet, then teachers still need time to systematically evaluate the relative advantage of technology integration. First, they must consider student learning problems, which may include struggles with motivation, complexity of concepts, or differing learning styles. For example, in my classroom the students need to write in response to literature. Unfortunately, the average 5th grader is not excited to write in a structured manner. Additionally, many students are battling OT issues, which make the idea of writing in response to reading overwhelming. When I identified this problem, I began to seek technology solutions.

Most teachers will not independently seek these solutions to learning problems; instead technology integrators must help teachers find them. With the wide variety of technology available, teachers need somebody to point them in the right direction. In my situation, I was lucky enough to be sent to a technology conference by my district. At the conference, I was introduced to discussion boards, blogs, and chat rooms for the elementary classroom. This fall, I implemented online book discussions for my students. To measure the success of the new strategy, I created a discussion board/thoughtful response rubric.

From the beginning, my students were excited to write online. They anxiously waited to read the comments posted by their classmates and were eager to respond. I noticed that quantity and quality of their literature-related writing drastically improved. With this evidence in hand, I approached my teammates. They were able to immediately see the relative advantage of online discussion boards (by looking at student authentic examples and student scores) and quickly embraced the concept in their classrooms.

This example is just a small portion of the problems technology can solve. From simulations to web videos (www.brainpop.com or www.unitedstreaming.com), from online teacher-created assessments to creative desktop publishing, and from "drill" math practice to assistive technology (writers, recorders, SmartBoards, etc), the possibilities are endless! Still, the key to practical integration lies in helping teachers see the relative advantage.