Right at the beginning, Richardson asks the question "what is going to be the impact on education" regarding all the tools and pedagogies out there. But he also makes a very good point and distinction that with the explosion of the internet and with so much information out there it is important that teachers and students use that knowledge effectively. I think the word "effectively" is key. Just because the information is out there doesn't mean it is useful. I think a lot of what is on the internet is purely for entertainment with little value in the educational arena. But a lot of what is out there does have value for educators and their students. I remember as a child I had several pen pals that were from all over the United States. I thought it was sooooo cool to communicate and learn from each other about where we lived and what our schools were like, etc. Of course, we only had the U.S. Postal service at our disposal and so it would be several days before I could receive replies from my pen pals. I think how that would be so obsolete and unnecessary in today's world (using the post office that is....I think having pen pals is a great thing). And, its like Richardson said, "the walls of the classroom are literally made irrelevant...." because technology has created this community of learners that can be near or far. I also think that he gives very good cautionary advice about making sure that our students realize that just because something is posted on the Web does not make it true and I think that is and will continue to be a problem for the "digital natives." But I also think it is not just the internet/web where students fail to be critical thinkers.....I think it is across the board whether it be a textbook or a lecture or whatever they are reading/viewing....they do not seem to scrutinize or think about it and just accept it for what it is. As educators, we need to emphasize critical thinking more.
Richardson uses most of this chapter to highlight the "Big Shifts" that have developed or that will develop as a result of these technologies and the way we think about content and curriculum with the goal of how to best teach students. One of the big shifts, #3, he makes a very good point about the importance of collaboration and how the Web makes it easy for students to produce work in truly collaborative ways for large audiences. In my current job, I have many other labs that I collaborate with be it formally or informally and I can definitely say that it has been very beneficial in giving my work real purpose and real meaning. There is so much to gain from the exchange of ideas, thoughts, recommendations, etc. I can see no reason that this would not be a plus for students in the classroom regarding their work and for educators too. Richardson's next "big shift" was equally profound in that students need to be active participants in the design of their own learning because this ultimately teaches them to take ownership of their lives and future careers. The opportunity for students to have their voices heard, to know that people are listening and responding via what they publish on the Web will could give students the feeling, the knowledge that what they do has meaning....it has worth....and that is something I think a lot of students struggle to find particularly during their teenage years.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Chpt. 8 - Podcasting, Video and Screencasting
Before this class I had limited experience with downloading a few podcasts to my iPod and that's about it. I love that I can have access to these programs because I am usually working when the programs are on the radio. However, I never realized how easy it was to do a podcast until taking this class and I know that I would not have thought to use it in the classroom either. I think the appeal of podcasts are that they are inexpensive and easy to do which Richardson states in the chapter as well. Another thing that he says (and I agree with) is that podcasting is the 'creation and distribution of ameteur radio' and I think that is the appeal.....you don't have to be a professional radio person to do podcasts. Richardson even talks about a 13 year old who did podcasts from his bedroom. Hey, if a 13 year can do it so can educators! Podcasting has caught on with more than teenagers and educators.....businesses, churches, governments, etc. are using podcasts for many things.
What I didn't know until I read this chapter was that on the iTunes store homepage (which I have loaded on my computer) there is an "Education" selection under the podcast categories. Who knew?? They have the top podcasts for K-12. Another reason that I could support using the podcast in class or school is that it is relatively safe. I would use it to record my lectures or reviews so that absent students could access them from the school website. I also like the idea of allowing the students to use them in the lab to record their experiments, observations, etc. to possibly share with other students in the class or other labs. I think using podcasts as audio newsletter could be very effective and I would even let the students organize it, just like they do the yearbooks. Video publishing could also be a good tool for students to record their work like students doing labs....the words from a podcast are helpful but a visual can be even more effective. Any time we, as educators, can make learning more enjoyable/interesting for the student will result in a greater understanding of the lesson by the student.
What I didn't know until I read this chapter was that on the iTunes store homepage (which I have loaded on my computer) there is an "Education" selection under the podcast categories. Who knew?? They have the top podcasts for K-12. Another reason that I could support using the podcast in class or school is that it is relatively safe. I would use it to record my lectures or reviews so that absent students could access them from the school website. I also like the idea of allowing the students to use them in the lab to record their experiments, observations, etc. to possibly share with other students in the class or other labs. I think using podcasts as audio newsletter could be very effective and I would even let the students organize it, just like they do the yearbooks. Video publishing could also be a good tool for students to record their work like students doing labs....the words from a podcast are helpful but a visual can be even more effective. Any time we, as educators, can make learning more enjoyable/interesting for the student will result in a greater understanding of the lesson by the student.
Chapter 6 and The Social Web
There's no doubt about it that the Web has become a place to gather, to socialize. And I can see it being used to share what students have done with each other so they can learn from it and create 'a continuous converstions among the participants.' I'm not convinced that Twitter is a way to go about sharing in the classroom. To me, twitter seems more like a distraction. Richardson cites one example where they teacher used twitter to communicate in real time what the class was doing during their field trip with other students who were unable to attend. Why not just use a cell phone or make a podcast. The twittering just seems so intrusive and if a student could not attend obviously they are doing something else or maybe they're sick which means they don't have time to read something that has been twittered.
Richardson also discusses ways in which to track of all the information you might want or need. He identifies Diigo and del.icio.us as two social bookmarking sites that have come to the forefront of all the available sites out there. While I can understand the usefulness and purpose of using social bookmarking as a way to filter and organize your items of interest, I do not see how this type of thing would be useful in the classroom for students. I say this because students have very little flexibility when it comes to using computers in the classroom. The sites they can access are already given to them. Therefore, bookmarking is not realistic. It could be very useful to me in my current research job and in my own personal life. As a teacher I could also see it as a way to store sites so you don't have to go searching for it everytime.
Richardson also discusses ways in which to track of all the information you might want or need. He identifies Diigo and del.icio.us as two social bookmarking sites that have come to the forefront of all the available sites out there. While I can understand the usefulness and purpose of using social bookmarking as a way to filter and organize your items of interest, I do not see how this type of thing would be useful in the classroom for students. I say this because students have very little flexibility when it comes to using computers in the classroom. The sites they can access are already given to them. Therefore, bookmarking is not realistic. It could be very useful to me in my current research job and in my own personal life. As a teacher I could also see it as a way to store sites so you don't have to go searching for it everytime.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
My Updated Technology Autobiography
I started this quest for knowledge about technology two weeks ago and I can honestly say it has been an experience. I found out that I am considered a "digital immigrant" but now I think that I am a well informed "digital immigrant." My use of technology once centered upon using the computer to surf the web, check email and do occasional research. Of course, I have a cell phone and iPod but you could say that I am one of those people who still use 'new things in old ways'.
Now that I have completed this course about the different technologies and how they can be used in the classroom (and outside the classroom too!), I feel much more bolder about using them (blogs, podcasts, wikis, digital stories, flickr) and venturing out on my own to explore the other technology tools that exist (twitter, teachertube, etc.). I really enjoyed reading the textbook assigned for this class too. I think that the author, Richardson, had a writing style that was very engaging and simple in format. He never talked over my head. The book always gave real life examples of how each of the technology tools were being used in the classroom. Therefore, it can be done!
Having taken this course and using the textbook to help facilitate my learning, I now feel much more confident about walking in the classroom and using these tools as an aid to communicate and teach chemistry. The best part of my learning was having the hands on activities as opposed to just reading about it in a book. I am a big advocate of hands-on learning and I will definitely allow my students to get the hands-on opportunity in using technology tools that will help facilitate their learning. I was certainly apprehensive about what to expect on my first day of teaching since I have not been in a high school classroom in almost 20 years. Now, I think I have a much better idea of what the digital natives are doing!
Now that I have completed this course about the different technologies and how they can be used in the classroom (and outside the classroom too!), I feel much more bolder about using them (blogs, podcasts, wikis, digital stories, flickr) and venturing out on my own to explore the other technology tools that exist (twitter, teachertube, etc.). I really enjoyed reading the textbook assigned for this class too. I think that the author, Richardson, had a writing style that was very engaging and simple in format. He never talked over my head. The book always gave real life examples of how each of the technology tools were being used in the classroom. Therefore, it can be done!
Having taken this course and using the textbook to help facilitate my learning, I now feel much more confident about walking in the classroom and using these tools as an aid to communicate and teach chemistry. The best part of my learning was having the hands on activities as opposed to just reading about it in a book. I am a big advocate of hands-on learning and I will definitely allow my students to get the hands-on opportunity in using technology tools that will help facilitate their learning. I was certainly apprehensive about what to expect on my first day of teaching since I have not been in a high school classroom in almost 20 years. Now, I think I have a much better idea of what the digital natives are doing!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Pick Your Tool....I pick TeacherTube!!
Dear School Administrator,
I have just completed a course in technology as part of my professional development. During this time, I had the opportunity to learn about and investigate several of the technology tools currently available. I think that many of these tools could be used in the classroom, but I was especially impressed with an internet site that shares instructional teacher videos called TeacherTube. It is very much like the internet site YouTube, but it is primarily for educators, schools and home learners.
I have investigated this relatively new website which was established in March 2007. It is free to use and the website has a very good help section on how to use it. With today's economy and limited resources, I think TeacherTube could be a very beneficial tool to share or view instructional videos as well as access support files (lesson plans, assessments, etc) shared by other educators. Technology is becoming part of everything we do, and I believe that we should begin to use it as an enhancement of our professional development. TeacherTube could provide an online community for educators to share their ideas and methods via an instructional videos.
If we want to always be improving as educators, I think we have to have easy access to what our peers are doing in the field. Otherwise, we become stagnant in our methods. TeacherTube provides that venue and I believe it will be very beneficial to make it available to the teachers in our school. I hope that you will take a few moments to visit TeacherTube at www.teachertube.com and realize that it is a very good site for educators to share resources and have fun!
Very Respectfully,
Kathleen Bowen
I have just completed a course in technology as part of my professional development. During this time, I had the opportunity to learn about and investigate several of the technology tools currently available. I think that many of these tools could be used in the classroom, but I was especially impressed with an internet site that shares instructional teacher videos called TeacherTube. It is very much like the internet site YouTube, but it is primarily for educators, schools and home learners.
I have investigated this relatively new website which was established in March 2007. It is free to use and the website has a very good help section on how to use it. With today's economy and limited resources, I think TeacherTube could be a very beneficial tool to share or view instructional videos as well as access support files (lesson plans, assessments, etc) shared by other educators. Technology is becoming part of everything we do, and I believe that we should begin to use it as an enhancement of our professional development. TeacherTube could provide an online community for educators to share their ideas and methods via an instructional videos.
If we want to always be improving as educators, I think we have to have easy access to what our peers are doing in the field. Otherwise, we become stagnant in our methods. TeacherTube provides that venue and I believe it will be very beneficial to make it available to the teachers in our school. I hope that you will take a few moments to visit TeacherTube at www.teachertube.com and realize that it is a very good site for educators to share resources and have fun!
Very Respectfully,
Kathleen Bowen
Fun with Flickr in chapter 7
I'm really glad that I had the chance to experience Flickr in class because now I have read all there is to know about Flickr and it was a much more interesting read. I think that's the point about reading things in general. You can connect to it so much better if you have experienced it too. I'm not so sure I would actually go out and try Flickr without having the exposure to it in class. I thought Richardson did a very good job of selling it in chapter 7. Of course I can see myself using it for personal reasons (sharing, connecting with my family and friends through photos online) but I can certainly see using it in my classroom as a instructional tool and also allowing the students to use in in a variety of ways. You've probably heard the saying that "a picture is worth a 1000 words" and I think that can apply as a way to reach out and better communicate with our students. As Richardson states, it's free and it's easy!! What more could an educator ask for? And I like that, as a teacher, I can control access to the photos which I think is a good thing. I could see Flickr being useful for all content areas too. As a chemistry teacher, I think it would be useful to take pictures of laboratory set-ups or to show the timeline of an experiment, especially if a school does not have a laboratory. This could be a good substitute. I believe that when a student can use all of their senses to learn with it makes a lesson so much more effective. If my students can not only hear what I am saying but connect to what I am saying through a photo then there ability to understand is much greater. On a personal/work related note, I've decided to use Flickr this summer to document our field research which takes place in the western mountains of North Carolina.....now that is some pretty country!! And I know the pictures will be a great tool to show future students that come in our lab to do research but have not had the experience of doing field research. How cool is that!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Everything I ever wanted to know about Wikipedia is in Chpt 4!!
Wow! I'm reformed! After reading chpt. 4, I can now say that I have a different perspective of Wikipedia. My only experience with Wikipedia was the occasion viewing of what would come up when I would google a topic; sometimes I would open the entry and other times I would not. I don't think I have ever used anything I have read from a Wikipedia posting for any of my work however. I didn't know that it was so trusted and used by so many: corporations, schools, cities, etc. What can I say?? I've been living in a cave somewhere I guess. I also had no idea how or where the word "wiki" originated from....I figured it was something like how google originated. But now I know that it is a short form of the Hawaiian 'wiki-wiki' which means "quick". My limited experience with Wikipedia would support that it is indeed a quick read. As for using and/or teaching my students about Wikipedia or wikis, I could envision a purpose for it especially after reading that the postings are, for the most part, accurate. Apparently, there are a vast number of people (that could be considered editors) who collaboratively correct any mistakes or vandalism. This has been tested many times according to Richardson.
More importantly was my take on using wikis and Wikipedia in the classroom. Richardson stated that Wikipedia is the "poster child" for collaborative construction of knowledge and truth. As an educator, I could collaborate with other educators or professionals in the science field. I think it is important to stay current and certainly postings on Wikipedias are ongoing. I would teach my students about Wikipedia (although I am sure they already know of it) but I would also encourage them to be critical thinkers about what they read from Wikipedia (or any other source for that matter). I thought Richardson cited some great examples for how educators are using wikis in the classroom. Especially the teacher, Vicki Davis in Georgia, who started to use wikis to connect her students to other learners from around the world through a project she created called "Flat Classroom." Moreover, what I really like about this textbook (Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and other powerful web tools for classrooms) as a whole is how Richardson cites many real world examples of how the different technologies are being used in the classroom. Great source for ideas! Additionally, he goes one step further and tells you how to create your own wiki as well as how to post on a wiki site. I just think that information like what Richardson provides in this book is what is needed (as well as taking a class such as the one I am in now) to facilitate educators use of these different technologies.
More importantly was my take on using wikis and Wikipedia in the classroom. Richardson stated that Wikipedia is the "poster child" for collaborative construction of knowledge and truth. As an educator, I could collaborate with other educators or professionals in the science field. I think it is important to stay current and certainly postings on Wikipedias are ongoing. I would teach my students about Wikipedia (although I am sure they already know of it) but I would also encourage them to be critical thinkers about what they read from Wikipedia (or any other source for that matter). I thought Richardson cited some great examples for how educators are using wikis in the classroom. Especially the teacher, Vicki Davis in Georgia, who started to use wikis to connect her students to other learners from around the world through a project she created called "Flat Classroom." Moreover, what I really like about this textbook (Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and other powerful web tools for classrooms) as a whole is how Richardson cites many real world examples of how the different technologies are being used in the classroom. Great source for ideas! Additionally, he goes one step further and tells you how to create your own wiki as well as how to post on a wiki site. I just think that information like what Richardson provides in this book is what is needed (as well as taking a class such as the one I am in now) to facilitate educators use of these different technologies.
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