Dr. Watwood/Colleagues
Here is my tutorial on Photostory. Credit is due to two sources I researched.
http://www.c-net.com/
http://www.wikipedia.com/
Tutorial Link
http://www.screencast.com/t/NmU0OGIyZj
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Blogs - Help or Hindrance?
What is a Blog?
A blog (a blend of the term web log)[1] is a type of website or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. Blog can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.
The term "weblog" was coined by Jorn Barger[4] on 17 December 1997. The short form, "blog," was coined by Peter Merholz, who jokingly broke the word weblog into the phrase we blog in the sidebar of his blog Peterme.com in April or May 1999.[5][6][7] Shortly thereafter, Evan Williams at Pyra Labs used "blog" as both a noun and verb ("to blog," meaning "to edit one's weblog or to post to one's weblog") and devised the term "blogger" in connection with Pyra Labs' Blogger product, leading to the popularization of the terms.[8]
I will first look at the Pros and Cons of blogs to educators and then I will focus on two blogs that I found very interesting for different reasons:
PROS
http://www.joannejacobs.com
Linking and thinking on education and parenting. A former San Jose Mercury News columnist, I'm the author of "Our School," which tells the true story of a charter school that prepares Hispanic students for college.
Read more: http://technorati.com/blogs/www.joannejacobs.com?reactions#ixzz0ztavzctk
I believe that educators should be interested in the political arena as it ultimately shapes theirs and their students future. I'll share an article from her site that I found quite interesting and I believe it's one to watch based on the present political climate.
http://technorati.com/politics/article/dems-calling-for-tax-breaks-for /
This is a powerful story and one we all need to pay attention to. For me blogs are educational and allows you to get involved in areas of interest, not necessarily all related to 'educational issues.
Another blogs I spent time with that I found very interesting and informative was Ms Bliss' - the Canadian teachers blog of sites educators can use. Not only did she name them but she defined them giving educators instant choices as to what would be most appropriate for using with their students.
It spoke to sites that I've found interesting and that I'll definitely be using, even some of the sites that have been assigned to us are defined there.
Glogster.EDU is one of those tools that opens dozens of lesson ideas to foster creativity and higher order thinking skills. No more will we have poster boards dropping off the walls in the hallways or students covered in Crayola markers down their arms. With Glogster teachers and students can create interactive posters for research, websites, presentations, reflection, and more.
Voicethread –From digital storytelling, reflection, photo essays, and more, this tool has been one of my students’ favorites. Also be sure to check out Voicethread for Educators Ning for ideas on using the tool.
Blogs can truly be informative and worthwhile reading. The can have a great impact on your teaching as it allows for new and interesting strategies to be implemented in your classroom. Blogging has been one of the greatest experiences for me.
A blog (a blend of the term web log)[1] is a type of website or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. Blog can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.
The term "weblog" was coined by Jorn Barger[4] on 17 December 1997. The short form, "blog," was coined by Peter Merholz, who jokingly broke the word weblog into the phrase we blog in the sidebar of his blog Peterme.com in April or May 1999.[5][6][7] Shortly thereafter, Evan Williams at Pyra Labs used "blog" as both a noun and verb ("to blog," meaning "to edit one's weblog or to post to one's weblog") and devised the term "blogger" in connection with Pyra Labs' Blogger product, leading to the popularization of the terms.[8]
I will first look at the Pros and Cons of blogs to educators and then I will focus on two blogs that I found very interesting for different reasons:
PROS
- Learning from other person's opinion
- Reflection of classroom strengths and weaknesses. Exploring best practices.
- Used as a collaborative tool - packed with endless possibilities.
- Being swayed by someone else's opinion
- Ideas are at times not cohesive or cogent. Individualism taking the place of objectivity.
- Time-consuming. The educator's calendar is so packed that there are already not enough hours in the day to complete all there is to do.
http://www.joannejacobs.com
Linking and thinking on education and parenting. A former San Jose Mercury News columnist, I'm the author of "Our School," which tells the true story of a charter school that prepares Hispanic students for college.
Read more: http://technorati.com/blogs/www.joannejacobs.com?reactions#ixzz0ztavzctk
I believe that educators should be interested in the political arena as it ultimately shapes theirs and their students future. I'll share an article from her site that I found quite interesting and I believe it's one to watch based on the present political climate.
http://technorati.com/politics/article/dems-calling-for-tax-breaks-for /
This is a powerful story and one we all need to pay attention to. For me blogs are educational and allows you to get involved in areas of interest, not necessarily all related to 'educational issues. Another blogs I spent time with that I found very interesting and informative was Ms Bliss' - the Canadian teachers blog of sites educators can use. Not only did she name them but she defined them giving educators instant choices as to what would be most appropriate for using with their students.
It spoke to sites that I've found interesting and that I'll definitely be using, even some of the sites that have been assigned to us are defined there.
Glogster.EDU is one of those tools that opens dozens of lesson ideas to foster creativity and higher order thinking skills. No more will we have poster boards dropping off the walls in the hallways or students covered in Crayola markers down their arms. With Glogster teachers and students can create interactive posters for research, websites, presentations, reflection, and more.
Voicethread –From digital storytelling, reflection, photo essays, and more, this tool has been one of my students’ favorites. Also be sure to check out Voicethread for Educators Ning for ideas on using the tool.
Blogs can truly be informative and worthwhile reading. The can have a great impact on your teaching as it allows for new and interesting strategies to be implemented in your classroom. Blogging has been one of the greatest experiences for me.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Lesson Two - 'Taking Technological Tools to a New Level'
Net Generation also known as N- Gen is defined by wikipedia as the generation that was born in the 1980's and 1990's and is marked by an increased use and familiarity with communications, media and digital technologies.
(Vicki's Classroom)
Vicki Davis' interesting and innovative use of technology has shown us as educators that its time to get ready for the N-Gen students - prosumers of the next generation. Old school teaching as we know it has gone through the window as the pedagogical approaches change constantly. As Marbito and Medley outlined in http://www.innovateline.info/index.php?view=article&id=510 ; there are two important factors that will push the adoption of a pedagogy that can access the strengths of the N-Gen learning styles.
One of the goals of my school this year is to build a 'high-trust' classroom. In that respect we have been sharing this book ' The High Trust Classroom - Raising Achievement from the Inside Out' by Lonnie Moore. It presents many possibilities of how effective gaining your students trust can be to their academic progress. Earlier this week I was sharing with my students how important it is to build relationships and display the right attitude; explaining how this behavior will help/hinder them in the world of work. While I was sharing and hoping they were relating I couldn't help but reflect on Vicki's method in developing the professional student using appropriate Web 2.0 tools http://www.rememberthemilk.com/, http://www.jott.com/, http://www.timebridge.com/. These tools taught so many things - high on the list being responsibility, time management and accountability.
I am an avid believer of using differentiated instruction in the classroom and as a result have assigned one of my groups a digital poster using www.glosteredu This will be my first attempt at high tech but I was inspired by Wendy (My PLE) and after presenting the idea to my students; they are as excited as I am to try.
As I perused the readings I focused a lot on the lists of web tools. I am fascinated. I was not aware that there is so much out there that educators can use to enhance their classroom and make the business of teaching more engaging. The 2008 Best Education Blog of the Year http://detensionslip.org is read by thousands of educators and I do believe another follower has been found. Too many educators believe that a powerpoint presentation is enough technology to capture our students - no wonder 'Why Professor Johnny Can't Read' https://blackboard.vcu.edu/@@/E5D503702831EE1314498A982220ECC4/courses/1/ADMS-647-C91-2010Fall/content/_2579496_1/Understanding%20the%20Net%20Generation%27s%20Texts.pdf
(Vicki's Classroom)Vicki Davis' interesting and innovative use of technology has shown us as educators that its time to get ready for the N-Gen students - prosumers of the next generation. Old school teaching as we know it has gone through the window as the pedagogical approaches change constantly. As Marbito and Medley outlined in http://www.innovateline.info/index.php?view=article&id=510 ; there are two important factors that will push the adoption of a pedagogy that can access the strengths of the N-Gen learning styles.
- Educators need to spend time in the learning space of the N-Gen learners to develop an understanding of how the N-Gen literacies and learning styles develop - Vicki has proven that this is possible by putting the educators' nightmare - the cellphone - to excellent use "http://www.youtube.com/v/aHKHVsAVVw8&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param
One of the goals of my school this year is to build a 'high-trust' classroom. In that respect we have been sharing this book ' The High Trust Classroom - Raising Achievement from the Inside Out' by Lonnie Moore. It presents many possibilities of how effective gaining your students trust can be to their academic progress. Earlier this week I was sharing with my students how important it is to build relationships and display the right attitude; explaining how this behavior will help/hinder them in the world of work. While I was sharing and hoping they were relating I couldn't help but reflect on Vicki's method in developing the professional student using appropriate Web 2.0 tools http://www.rememberthemilk.com/, http://www.jott.com/, http://www.timebridge.com/. These tools taught so many things - high on the list being responsibility, time management and accountability.
I am an avid believer of using differentiated instruction in the classroom and as a result have assigned one of my groups a digital poster using www.glosteredu This will be my first attempt at high tech but I was inspired by Wendy (My PLE) and after presenting the idea to my students; they are as excited as I am to try.
As I perused the readings I focused a lot on the lists of web tools. I am fascinated. I was not aware that there is so much out there that educators can use to enhance their classroom and make the business of teaching more engaging. The 2008 Best Education Blog of the Year http://detensionslip.org is read by thousands of educators and I do believe another follower has been found. Too many educators believe that a powerpoint presentation is enough technology to capture our students - no wonder 'Why Professor Johnny Can't Read' https://blackboard.vcu.edu/@@/E5D503702831EE1314498A982220ECC4/courses/1/ADMS-647-C91-2010Fall/content/_2579496_1/Understanding%20the%20Net%20Generation%27s%20Texts.pdf
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Web 2.0 - Youtube Video Reflection
The web is virtually everywhere.The machine doesn't teach us ideas, we teach the machine; we are the web.
Web 2.0 is interactive, information sharing, user-centered design and collaboration on the World Wide Web.Darcy DiNucci (1999) used foresight when she predicted how much the web would change. She purported that the web as we knew then was only the embryo of what might develop. The web would become an ether through which interactivity happens.
This prediction was evident in the way the student used multiple interactive methods to 'seek' expert appraisal of her work. She tried to make contact with a scientist in Australia via email and when that failed; she resorted to contacting an American scientist. It was evident that as John Battelle and Tim O'Reilly had intended, she definitely knew how to use the web as a platform for harnessing and creating ideas, pictures, text and videos.
Bart Decrem, founder and CEO of Flock aptly named Web 2.0, 'the participatory web'. The 7th Grade student lends credibility to the idea. Her page, so neatly arranged in educational and social networking sites, reeks of participation. She stated in her video presentation, that you had an obligation to get your work done. The only choice you had was when to do it.
Although heavily criticized, Web 2.0 seem to be surviving the test of time. Andrew Keen's book Culture of the Amateur', argues that the core assumption of Web 2.0 - that all opinions and user-generated content are equally valuable and relevant - is misguided. If this was the case; where would our 7th grade student be? She is showing the world and the many critics out there how valuable the Web 2.0 tools can be, even to a young student. She used the tools responsibly and intelligently and has managed to enhance her learning. She is a 'dream' student. A high quality performer who has taken Web 2.0 tools to another level.
However it would be remiss of me not to mention the teacher who is not very adept with technology. She would be terrified to have this student in her class. No paper / pencil? How untraditional! This student would be a joy to teach despite the technological challenge she poses.Welcome to the high tech era of Web 2.0 tools in motion.
Web 2.0 is interactive, information sharing, user-centered design and collaboration on the World Wide Web.Darcy DiNucci (1999) used foresight when she predicted how much the web would change. She purported that the web as we knew then was only the embryo of what might develop. The web would become an ether through which interactivity happens.
This prediction was evident in the way the student used multiple interactive methods to 'seek' expert appraisal of her work. She tried to make contact with a scientist in Australia via email and when that failed; she resorted to contacting an American scientist. It was evident that as John Battelle and Tim O'Reilly had intended, she definitely knew how to use the web as a platform for harnessing and creating ideas, pictures, text and videos.
Bart Decrem, founder and CEO of Flock aptly named Web 2.0, 'the participatory web'. The 7th Grade student lends credibility to the idea. Her page, so neatly arranged in educational and social networking sites, reeks of participation. She stated in her video presentation, that you had an obligation to get your work done. The only choice you had was when to do it.
Although heavily criticized, Web 2.0 seem to be surviving the test of time. Andrew Keen's book Culture of the Amateur', argues that the core assumption of Web 2.0 - that all opinions and user-generated content are equally valuable and relevant - is misguided. If this was the case; where would our 7th grade student be? She is showing the world and the many critics out there how valuable the Web 2.0 tools can be, even to a young student. She used the tools responsibly and intelligently and has managed to enhance her learning. She is a 'dream' student. A high quality performer who has taken Web 2.0 tools to another level.
However it would be remiss of me not to mention the teacher who is not very adept with technology. She would be terrified to have this student in her class. No paper / pencil? How untraditional! This student would be a joy to teach despite the technological challenge she poses.Welcome to the high tech era of Web 2.0 tools in motion.
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