Enjoy Xtranormal.com:
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
BP14_2009103_Response to Classmate Blog
Random Name/Word Picker is an interactive site that is used by the teacher entering the names of his or her students students. Upon pressing the fruit machine button (which works like a slot machine), it will randomly select a student's name to answer a question. This is a good tool to use to ensure that every student gets the opportunity to participate in class. As a teacher, this tool will also assist me in not overlooking any students because I was continually calling on the same students.One way that Word Picker can be used is with vocabulary words. The teacher would input a list of words and the student's can take turns defining the words or correctly spelling the words.
BP13_2009103_Web2.0 Evaluation_Blogger.com
I had never investigated blogs before being required to start one in this program. I was well aware of their existence, but mostly associated the term with "gossip columns" or other unprofessional forms of communication. Only when I was required to start examining blogs did I realize how common their use had become in academic and professional communities. Now that I have been exposed to several uses and set up Google Reader to subscribe to blogs related to educational technology developments, I am quite interested in determining how blogs can help me and my students.
Blogger.com personal page
Blog history on file in Blogger.comBlogs can be utilized by students to keep an online journal of an ongoing project, allowing easy viewing for me, the instructor. In fact with RSS feeds, all students blogs could be funneled into one location for exceptional ease of reviewing. Likewise, I caould provide feedback/updates for an ongoing project to the students through a blog. The primary drawback here is, of course, access for all students. As commonplace as computers, cell phones, and internet use are among students these days, there are still some students that do not have an adequate level of access to make full use of online tools for classroom use on a routine basis.
image from http://www.blogger.com
BP12_2009103_Web2.0 Evaluation_SurveyMonkey.com
I have seen SurveyMonkey on several occasions, as my school system will frequently utilize it for staff development feedback, or other matters requiring feedback from a large number of personnel in the county. I have found my first use for it in the new computer programming club I am starting at school. As we do not have such courses in our school system, I am using the online survey to get personal info, and computer interest/exoperience information from the students who have expressed interest. Although I have a particular platform in mind for helping to teach computer programming, if I don't cater to the club members' interests there will be no club. A similar welcome survey could be used in my math class setting during the first week to gather info as well as introduce students to the form of the online survey.
Getting started on a free-service survey
A survey program could serve several purposes in a classroom setting. For my math classes, an assignment that includes the accumulation of data could take advantage of such a method of data collection. SurveyMonkey's customizable templates can be suited to nearly any form of data. Surveyors can collect numerical data, demographic data, user input data, and even have users give rated feedback. The online survey could be used to reach a larger audience with less work, producing more data for a better math lesson. For the purposes of the instructor, feedback from multiple courses could be easily compiled into a single survey during a given time window. The instructor merely has to make the survey available to those being surveyed.
Sample survey page: demographic information
images from http://www.monkeysurvey.com
Getting started on a free-service survey
Sample survey page: demographic informationimages from http://www.monkeysurvey.com
BP11_2009103_Web2.0 Evaluation_Xtranormal.com
I had seen a few videos produced by this method, but had not hear a lot of discussion about it. Upon investigation, I found a simple interactive menu that can enable students to create a fun, yet enriching video in a relatively short time. One great thing about this sort of application - I found that as I learn how to use it, I can use my learning experience as the introduction for my students. This serves to emphasize the simplicity of its functionality.
Production screen in Xtranormal
The nature of templates available to a free account seems suitable for a wide range of age groups. Younger students could be introduced to animation or movie production through a very simple scene, with a script created before-hand. Imagine the delight of young students getting the chance to bring their story to life! They wouldn't even mind the robotic-like voices. This may be a small stumbling block for older students. Within an hour's time, even the youngest of students can select a scene and actors, type in their dialogue, and put their story in motion.
Dialogue creation and editing
Scenes and actors can be b/w or color
For my own personal math class, associating this particular site with a specific assignment is a little more tricky. The most basic application would be to have students create a scene that would explore/explain a mathematical concept that we had covered. Additionally, any project could be introduced or explained using this video site as an option. It would alleviate some of the stage-fright issues if students had animation to speak on their behalf.
images from http://www.xtranormal.com
Production screen in XtranormalThe nature of templates available to a free account seems suitable for a wide range of age groups. Younger students could be introduced to animation or movie production through a very simple scene, with a script created before-hand. Imagine the delight of young students getting the chance to bring their story to life! They wouldn't even mind the robotic-like voices. This may be a small stumbling block for older students. Within an hour's time, even the youngest of students can select a scene and actors, type in their dialogue, and put their story in motion.
Dialogue creation and editingI had to think a while before coming to accept this as a web2.0 tool, and it may not be, in fact, in the truest sense. After the video is created is when the sharing begins. Much like a flickr or YouTube site, videos can be tagged and cataloged, allowing cross referencing and sharing with other like-minded individuals. This makes it every bit a web2.0 tool as it creates groups by "linking" people through common themes.
Scenes and actors can be b/w or colorFor my own personal math class, associating this particular site with a specific assignment is a little more tricky. The most basic application would be to have students create a scene that would explore/explain a mathematical concept that we had covered. Additionally, any project could be introduced or explained using this video site as an option. It would alleviate some of the stage-fright issues if students had animation to speak on their behalf.
images from http://www.xtranormal.com
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
BP10_2009103: Flickr Lesson
Including "math" in my search for a flickr assignment quickly directed me toward a blog page I had come across in our reading of web2.0 tools - Darren Kuropatwa's "A Difference." Darren is a math teacher in Manitoba, Canada, who is rather widely known for his incorporation of web tools in the math classroom.
The lesson I discovered was related to creating mind maps using flickr. Students were introduced to the assignment in 2 stages, the first being quite simple in order to familiarize them with flickr along with tagging and other features (students were asked to take a picture of their favorite number in some creative context). This is the example Darren provided to his students:
His picture depicts the number 49, using a russian method of multiplying on your fingers. To see how, visit his blog:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hyperbob/3535261/
In the second step of the assignment, students were to capture a picture that would incorporate aspects of a given topic from a selected unit of study. Several requirements were made clear regarding the photos (first being that the students had to take a genuine photo), then "hot spots" were identified in the photos,relating aspects of the photos to the math unit/topic.
Ultimately, Darren worked with his students to develop the rubric that the photos would be judged by, giving the students a hand in practically all phases of the exercise.
The lesson I discovered was related to creating mind maps using flickr. Students were introduced to the assignment in 2 stages, the first being quite simple in order to familiarize them with flickr along with tagging and other features (students were asked to take a picture of their favorite number in some creative context). This is the example Darren provided to his students:
His picture depicts the number 49, using a russian method of multiplying on your fingers. To see how, visit his blog:http://www.flickr.com/photos/hyperbob/3535261/
In the second step of the assignment, students were to capture a picture that would incorporate aspects of a given topic from a selected unit of study. Several requirements were made clear regarding the photos (first being that the students had to take a genuine photo), then "hot spots" were identified in the photos,relating aspects of the photos to the math unit/topic.
Ultimately, Darren worked with his students to develop the rubric that the photos would be judged by, giving the students a hand in practically all phases of the exercise.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
BP8_2009102: Week 2 response to classmate
One of the reasons I began taking classes at Full Sail University (FSO) was to learn how to make my Computer Basics class an online class. One of the areas I was ‘wrestling with’ was the ‘typing’ section of my class. It is a vital part of the students learning and understanding to pass the class. Well, this week I was required to explore Web 2.0 applications to use in my classroom. The one that I found that excites me the most is Typing Web ( http://www.typingweb.com/ ). It will allow for the typing component to be a part of the online Computer Basics class!
Currently, typing comprises 25% of a student’s grade. I feel it is necessary for the student to meet the states minimum standard of 45 average words per minute (AWPM) to pass the class. Typing at 45 AWPM provides student the ability to pass a typing test for an entry-level job within the state. I have also found that the typing is critical for the students to be successful at our school. We are a college prep high school and our teachers have the students writing a lot, so for them to be able to get this done quickly and efficiently they need to learn to type. It is the one thing that they ‘hate’ to learn, but the upper classmen come back and ‘thank’ me for teaching them to type.
My class is currently a one-semester class and is required by the state as a part of the core 40, but, at our school, it is ‘viewed’ as inconvenient to ‘lose’ a whole semester when they could be work on another ‘core’ class. Essentially time is money to many parents. This is how the discussion of my class being made in to an online class began. Students could take my class online during the summer before they start school for a fee. This would allow it to be replaced during the school year with another ‘core’ class.
Typing Web, a screen shot pictured above, will allow the typing section to be an important part of that class still. It will allow the students to have an official certificate to show when applying for jobs and it allows for a certificate in 10 also. However, it has left me with a few questions: How will I know that the students are typing for themselves and not having someone else do it for them? Should we make Typing Web a part of ‘our’ network or leave it as an online module? Do we have the students come to the school to complete the online class, so that their typing can be monitored? These are all logistical questions, yet this application has answered the biggest original question: How are we going to teaching students typing through an online class?
Reference:
FTW Innovations. (2009, October 11). Typing Web: Free online typing tutor. Retrieved from http://www.typingweb.com/
1 comments:
- Boz said...
-
Although this isn't a necessary part of my math curriculum, I think it deserves recognition as a useful tool for anyone (like me) who never actually learned to type. I've toyed around with different software a number of times, but never followed through to actually achieve a decent level of proficiency. A web-based platform would give students the ability to hone skills away from school, assuming they use a standard program while in class. This would be available whether they are actually enrolled in a typing course or not. As you eluded to, there is also the possiblity of an "independent study" approach that will not consume classroom time.
BP9_2009102: Reflective media asset
Enjoy the video , sharing with you my excitement about social bookmarking.
BP7_2009102_Web2.0 Evaluation_Google Calendars
Although I would not declare a calendar to be the most useful of all web-based tools for classroom use, it can serve some valuable purposes. For an instructor communicating to students and parents, the calendar can provide all information related to classroom activities. Events are attached to particular dates, with details being linked to the event tile. The calendar can be set for viewing by selected users only (students and parents). Separate calendars can be created for each course or even for each class section, preventing the issue of calendars becoming cluttered with too much inapplicable information.
Teachers can also create separate calendars to share with colleagues and/or administrators. This certainly would prove more useful for teachers with more activities beyond the classroom walls, such as band and chorus leaders, or those sponsoring community service organizations. Department heads or team leaders could also benefit from such a calendar to keep colleagues informed about staff development opportunities, meetings, or other events of interest to all.
Administrators should be grateful to see such a tool come along. How many schools have a "master calendar" that covers an entire wall, enabling administrators to coordinate supervision, transportation, and support? A master calendar that resides online would handle all that information, be viewable to all from remote locations, and even be "programmed" to send notifications prior to events.
A similar function that is mostly not classroom related but certainly important in an educational setting would be for an athletic directors master calendar. Individual head coaches would be responsible for updating changes in their schedules on a master calendar maintained by the athletic director. Making such a calendar available to instructors could prove useful as well, particularly if a particular course or section is populated by a large number of athletes or band members that may be on the same schedule. An instructor could make practical use of athletic schedules to get the best work from their students.
My position as a math teacher in my high school would make the classroom calendar the most useful application for me. I would also like to introduce this concept to my administrators to "test run" as an alternative means for keeping a master calendar.
Teachers can also create separate calendars to share with colleagues and/or administrators. This certainly would prove more useful for teachers with more activities beyond the classroom walls, such as band and chorus leaders, or those sponsoring community service organizations. Department heads or team leaders could also benefit from such a calendar to keep colleagues informed about staff development opportunities, meetings, or other events of interest to all.
Administrators should be grateful to see such a tool come along. How many schools have a "master calendar" that covers an entire wall, enabling administrators to coordinate supervision, transportation, and support? A master calendar that resides online would handle all that information, be viewable to all from remote locations, and even be "programmed" to send notifications prior to events.
A similar function that is mostly not classroom related but certainly important in an educational setting would be for an athletic directors master calendar. Individual head coaches would be responsible for updating changes in their schedules on a master calendar maintained by the athletic director. Making such a calendar available to instructors could prove useful as well, particularly if a particular course or section is populated by a large number of athletes or band members that may be on the same schedule. An instructor could make practical use of athletic schedules to get the best work from their students.
My position as a math teacher in my high school would make the classroom calendar the most useful application for me. I would also like to introduce this concept to my administrators to "test run" as an alternative means for keeping a master calendar.
BP4_2009102_Social bookmarking
Though I had not been introduced to social bookmarking tool before this course, I quickly saw its tremendous value. In the educational setting, professional development and best practices sites can be accumulated for and by all faculty members. Teachers can encourage students to find new sources of information related to current coursework topics and compile them on a single bookmark page to share with other students. Solomon and Schrum (2009) point to the relevance of social bookmarking in the classroom. As students do not typically have personally dedicated computers, social bookmarking sites provide access to stored URLs for retrieval from any computer, at school or elsewhere.
O'Neal (2007) points to the old struggles of transferring a URL from computer to computer (one location to another), and the inconvenience it can cause. He also touts the tagging system of the del.icio.us website, that allows one to utilize the scrutiny and assessment of other users to help avoid endless searches for the most useful website on a given topic. Why spend hours mulling through seemingly infinite Google searches when your delicious page informs that 3 sites are 100 times more popular than all other sites combined? This can be a tremendous time saver.
Gordan-Murnane (2006) emphasizes the folksonomy (or taxonomy) of social bookmarking and its relevance to educational uses. The organization of social bookmarks relies solely on the users and the tags they apply to each site bookmarked. As the network of bookmarks grows, tags establish "connections" between related websites, simply by having similar tags. No thorough study or sorting is required. It simply happens as a result of the growth of the network. Of particular note in her article are sites developed to assist those in academic fields: CiteULike (http://www.citeulike.org/) and Cannotea (htttp://www.cannotea.org/). Both are specifically aimed at academics to share,store, and organize academic papers they are presently reading.
Even while still teaching in a math role in my current position, I anticipate that I can introduce a use for social bookmarking within my faculty. I would certainly expect those that are not too shy of technology to embrace its use in their coursework, particularly those related to research.
O'Neal (2007) points to the old struggles of transferring a URL from computer to computer (one location to another), and the inconvenience it can cause. He also touts the tagging system of the del.icio.us website, that allows one to utilize the scrutiny and assessment of other users to help avoid endless searches for the most useful website on a given topic. Why spend hours mulling through seemingly infinite Google searches when your delicious page informs that 3 sites are 100 times more popular than all other sites combined? This can be a tremendous time saver.
Gordan-Murnane (2006) emphasizes the folksonomy (or taxonomy) of social bookmarking and its relevance to educational uses. The organization of social bookmarks relies solely on the users and the tags they apply to each site bookmarked. As the network of bookmarks grows, tags establish "connections" between related websites, simply by having similar tags. No thorough study or sorting is required. It simply happens as a result of the growth of the network. Of particular note in her article are sites developed to assist those in academic fields: CiteULike (http://www.citeulike.org/) and Cannotea (htttp://www.cannotea.org/). Both are specifically aimed at academics to share,store, and organize academic papers they are presently reading.
Even while still teaching in a math role in my current position, I anticipate that I can introduce a use for social bookmarking within my faculty. I would certainly expect those that are not too shy of technology to embrace its use in their coursework, particularly those related to research.
References
Gordon-Murnane, L. (2006). Social bookmarking, folksonomies, and web2.0 tools. Searcher
14(6), 26-38. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com
O'Neal, C. (2007, April 11). Re: So delicious: a must-use bookmarking tool. Message posted to
http://www.edutopia.org/so-del-icio-us
Solomon, G., and Schrum, L. (2009). Web2.0: new tools, new schools. International Society for
Technology in Education.
BP6_2009102_Web2.0 Evaluation_Educational uses for blogs
The applications of blogs for classroom use are numerous, as are the sources for creating and maintaining them.
Instructors can utilize a blog to post assignments, updates to assignments, and related comments applicable to a particular assignment. Students can access updates in a timely manner, as well as be made aware of any corrections or clarifications without having to return to class. On a more specific note, several courses are suitable for assignments that could require students to offer opinions or interpretations of a reading or video assignment in the form of a blog. Open discussions through use of blogs would eliminate the pressure and fears of speak out in front of peers in a classroom setting. Instructors could offer prompts to accompany an assignment given in class, or request a reflective piece from students after concluding a project or group assignment.
Administrators can make full use of blogs to cut costs and create a more useful platform for disseminating information to an entire staff. No more need for memos and weekly announcements. Any topic of interest can be announced as soon as it comes up. With staff members subscribing to a blog feed, their new announcements will "grab" their attention. A blog post allows for public comments to clarify meaning or confusion about dates that may impact several members of the community. Questions that may not be of public interest would not be posted as a comment to such a blog.
Educators could utilize blogs to keep colleagues and/or administrators informed of class progress, class events or ongoing projects that may impact others outside the classroom (such as students conducting surveys or working outside the classroom unsupervised). Similar feeds could announce events of interest to parents or administrators as an invitation to visit or participate.
The primary limitation to use of blogs is, of course, the fact that some students still don't have aces to some of these tools at home. This does not mean that blogs can not be utilized, but simply limits widespread requirements that an instructor might otherwise be able to implements if all students had acess to the blog at school and at home.
Instructors can utilize a blog to post assignments, updates to assignments, and related comments applicable to a particular assignment. Students can access updates in a timely manner, as well as be made aware of any corrections or clarifications without having to return to class. On a more specific note, several courses are suitable for assignments that could require students to offer opinions or interpretations of a reading or video assignment in the form of a blog. Open discussions through use of blogs would eliminate the pressure and fears of speak out in front of peers in a classroom setting. Instructors could offer prompts to accompany an assignment given in class, or request a reflective piece from students after concluding a project or group assignment.
Administrators can make full use of blogs to cut costs and create a more useful platform for disseminating information to an entire staff. No more need for memos and weekly announcements. Any topic of interest can be announced as soon as it comes up. With staff members subscribing to a blog feed, their new announcements will "grab" their attention. A blog post allows for public comments to clarify meaning or confusion about dates that may impact several members of the community. Questions that may not be of public interest would not be posted as a comment to such a blog.
Educators could utilize blogs to keep colleagues and/or administrators informed of class progress, class events or ongoing projects that may impact others outside the classroom (such as students conducting surveys or working outside the classroom unsupervised). Similar feeds could announce events of interest to parents or administrators as an invitation to visit or participate.
The primary limitation to use of blogs is, of course, the fact that some students still don't have aces to some of these tools at home. This does not mean that blogs can not be utilized, but simply limits widespread requirements that an instructor might otherwise be able to implements if all students had acess to the blog at school and at home.
BP5_2009102_Web2.0 Evaluaton_Desktop Tools
What does the future hold for client-based desktop productivity suites? The end of the story will be interesting indeed. As sites like Google Docs (other options include Zoho and Open Office) incorporate more robust client-based attributes, they become more popular and attract the attention of students and small business alike. Client-based productivity suites, like MS Office, are taking measures to incorporate more web-based applications, to compete with the collaborative and open-source attributes of web-based productivity tools.
Why should this interest students and educators? Until recently, productivity tools had to be purchased individually (or collectively for an institution), and remain resident on individual machines. Collaboration required information to be passed back-and-forth, which is relatively archaic compared to the nature of the technology being utilized. Even after products were complete, the user would have to transfer data to an instructor either electronically or physically via paper or storage device. Online productivity tools allow for synchronous or asynchronous editing by multiple people. This eliminates the "slow-poke" method of passing info back-and-forth in order to collaborate.
Slightly more underrated is the elimination of the need for individuals to invest in personal copies of expensive client-based software. All members of a group or class can access the same web-based software, creating uniformity in application and processing. Why will people continue to pay premium prices for software that is not much different from that which available online free of charge? Web-based applications are still vulnerable to connectivity problems that can impact the internet in a number of ways. Google suffered this reality just last month. Even a 100-minute outage may not seem so bad, but for a business or student depending upon the utilization of that software, the results could be crushing.
Web-based productivity suites ultimately provide a common platform for students, regardless of whether they have the means at home to access it or not. At school or at home, documents can be accessed, updated, and reviewed without the need of a personal copy of a productivity suite. Instructors can easily access final products through sharing capabilities built into the software itself. For most educational purposes (especially the k-12 level) the web-based platforms are already robust enough to satisfy the needs of any student task.
Why should this interest students and educators? Until recently, productivity tools had to be purchased individually (or collectively for an institution), and remain resident on individual machines. Collaboration required information to be passed back-and-forth, which is relatively archaic compared to the nature of the technology being utilized. Even after products were complete, the user would have to transfer data to an instructor either electronically or physically via paper or storage device. Online productivity tools allow for synchronous or asynchronous editing by multiple people. This eliminates the "slow-poke" method of passing info back-and-forth in order to collaborate.
Slightly more underrated is the elimination of the need for individuals to invest in personal copies of expensive client-based software. All members of a group or class can access the same web-based software, creating uniformity in application and processing. Why will people continue to pay premium prices for software that is not much different from that which available online free of charge? Web-based applications are still vulnerable to connectivity problems that can impact the internet in a number of ways. Google suffered this reality just last month. Even a 100-minute outage may not seem so bad, but for a business or student depending upon the utilization of that software, the results could be crushing.
Web-based productivity suites ultimately provide a common platform for students, regardless of whether they have the means at home to access it or not. At school or at home, documents can be accessed, updated, and reviewed without the need of a personal copy of a productivity suite. Instructors can easily access final products through sharing capabilities built into the software itself. For most educational purposes (especially the k-12 level) the web-based platforms are already robust enough to satisfy the needs of any student task.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
BP3_2009101: Anti-Teaching?
Where does an educator turn to create significance in students' education? Students will most certainly find more value in their education if they feel they have a role in shaping it. As Personal Learning Environments (PLE) lend themselves more freely to some subject matters than others, I do not feel they are the universal answer to how education should be structured. Course Management Systems (CMS) have a necessary role if educators are to develop course structure that has any chance to address individual needs of learners.
A CMS can be tailored for any course, providing students an opportunity to progress at their own pace (possibly with limitations). Benchmarks would be necessary to identify students making inadequate progress, allowing the instructor to intervene and determine the cause. Remediation or discipline would then result. Lesson material would be programmed and be able to present requirements to students using several delivery methods, including interactive lessons, followed by instructions or guidelines that would enable students to complete assignments. The instructor would always be available as a source of guidance and information. Assignments would still address a range of skills, and often offer students an option of delivery methods for their final products. The delivery of course information and flexibility in student output would allow educators to infuse ideas from Multiple Intelligences theory as well as Brain-based learning concepts to connect with each and every student, meeting individual needs.
Thoroughness in lesson development would create deliveries that provide differentiation in instructional design as well. In some cases, a direct approach would suffice, giving students sufficient information and guidelines to begin construction on a final product. Other times, a more experiential approach may be appropriate, to insure the learner develops an understanding of a new concept and its impact on a target audience.
I would be very interested in having the opportunity to create such a learning environment. First and foremost, suitable technology would require at least a student/computer ratio of 2:1. A 1:1 ratio would certainly be ideal, allowing freedom for all students to maximize learning opportunities. At the high school level or below, care would be necessary to govern flow of incoming/outgoing materials to ensure the maintenance of a safe educational environment. As more web 2.0 tools are developed with the classroom in mind, these problems are beginning to be handled for the educators (less stress for administrators). An opportunity for students to learn as they feel capable and express themselves in a manner that suits them in a malleable educational structure can only lead to better refinement of the educational process.
A CMS can be tailored for any course, providing students an opportunity to progress at their own pace (possibly with limitations). Benchmarks would be necessary to identify students making inadequate progress, allowing the instructor to intervene and determine the cause. Remediation or discipline would then result. Lesson material would be programmed and be able to present requirements to students using several delivery methods, including interactive lessons, followed by instructions or guidelines that would enable students to complete assignments. The instructor would always be available as a source of guidance and information. Assignments would still address a range of skills, and often offer students an option of delivery methods for their final products. The delivery of course information and flexibility in student output would allow educators to infuse ideas from Multiple Intelligences theory as well as Brain-based learning concepts to connect with each and every student, meeting individual needs.
Thoroughness in lesson development would create deliveries that provide differentiation in instructional design as well. In some cases, a direct approach would suffice, giving students sufficient information and guidelines to begin construction on a final product. Other times, a more experiential approach may be appropriate, to insure the learner develops an understanding of a new concept and its impact on a target audience.
I would be very interested in having the opportunity to create such a learning environment. First and foremost, suitable technology would require at least a student/computer ratio of 2:1. A 1:1 ratio would certainly be ideal, allowing freedom for all students to maximize learning opportunities. At the high school level or below, care would be necessary to govern flow of incoming/outgoing materials to ensure the maintenance of a safe educational environment. As more web 2.0 tools are developed with the classroom in mind, these problems are beginning to be handled for the educators (less stress for administrators). An opportunity for students to learn as they feel capable and express themselves in a manner that suits them in a malleable educational structure can only lead to better refinement of the educational process.
BP2_2009101: My First RSS Feeds
Finding educational sites with information I felt was relevant to my work and my studies AND equipped to be subscribed to proved to be more of a challenge than I had anticipated. In the end, searching for blogs specifically enabled me to select several useful sites to help me keep up to date on trends in education, and technology in education specifically.
1. Edutopia provides a wide range of relevant topics for educators interested in innovations and improving learning opportunities for students.
2. Learning.now, a site sponsored by PBS, serves to keep educator, and parents, informed on the influence of technology on educational services.
3. Successful Teaching is exactly what you would expect. An innovative teacher created a blog post where educators can learn and share strategies and tips for successful teaching experiences.
4. Education Technology Blog serves a purpose all educators are looking for - aiding the end-user in determining which of the myriad of web resources are most useful. Although the site was established by an individual, most of the information is provided by visitors to the blog site.
5. Educause is a nonprofit devoted to exploiting the intelligent use of technology for improving education. As such, information can range from useful web resources, professional development opportunities, or sources of collaborative communities focused on the application of technology in education.
1. Edutopia provides a wide range of relevant topics for educators interested in innovations and improving learning opportunities for students.
2. Learning.now, a site sponsored by PBS, serves to keep educator, and parents, informed on the influence of technology on educational services.
3. Successful Teaching is exactly what you would expect. An innovative teacher created a blog post where educators can learn and share strategies and tips for successful teaching experiences.
4. Education Technology Blog serves a purpose all educators are looking for - aiding the end-user in determining which of the myriad of web resources are most useful. Although the site was established by an individual, most of the information is provided by visitors to the blog site.
5. Educause is a nonprofit devoted to exploiting the intelligent use of technology for improving education. As such, information can range from useful web resources, professional development opportunities, or sources of collaborative communities focused on the application of technology in education.
BP1_2009101: Blogs in Education
Initially, the value of blogs in the classroom seems tailored to use in English curriculum. Students may practice writing skills through a number of different assignments. Most notably, students can use blogs to convey their understanding or opinion of a given topic, or after completing an assignment, serve as a reflective journal. Blogs also allow for peer editing and collaboration on applicable assignments. Teachers and administrators alike, can utilize blogs to promulgate updated information to parents and students regarding assignments, events, or changes in scheduling. Utilizing blogs for assignments also becomes an aid to the classroom teacher by allowing work from all students to be accessed from a single point on the web - no papers taking up space or weighing you down.
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