Blogs in Education
http://awd.cl.uh.edu/blog/
This website is a good resource for teachers who want to figure out how to use blogs in their classroom. The website is broken down into purposes/uses for blogs, articles about blogging, examples of blogs, blog writing tools, aggregators, and tools for advanced blogging. The purpose of this website should be for reference both for new and advanced blogers.
Free Blogs for Education Profession
http://edublogs.org/
This website is a place where anyone in the education field can sigh up for a free blog. Both students and educators can utilize this site. They even have seperate links for K - 12 students, university students and english language students. Further exporation lead to the discovery of a discussion forum. This is a place where blog subscribers
Cool Tools: Blogging
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec570/cooltools/blogging.html
This website is a lesson on blogs. It teaches teachers about blogs and why they would be useful to use in the classroom. This website also gives links to examples and links to keep exploring the subject of blogs
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
The story of Movies
http://www.edutopia.org/video/movie.php?reset=cookie&keyword=037&id=Art_1671
The video I just watched was entitled “The Story of Movies”. Martin Scorsese has put together a program for schools to use that utilizes movies in various classroom settings. Ultimately, the goal is to cause students to think critically about movies. The history of movies is taught to the students in history class. Science class focuses on the different elements used in the movies. But English class is where the majority of the lessons are taught. Students put together in their English class everything they have learned in their other classes to analyze movies. The whole course lasts four weeks but by the end of it, the students have not only developed tools to analyze movies, but they have enhanced their critical thinking skills.
The actual video only showed the English setting where the only form of technology used was the videos, but I am sure there were other types of technologies used, especially in the science classroom. The teaching in the English classroom was both teacher and student centered. The teacher utilized the technology to ask questions and the students needed to utilize the same technology in order to respond to the questions.
This unit on movies is one I wish I would have had in high school. It is a wonderful unit that is done throughout all of the students’ classes. I always was most engaged in lessons and units that utilized technology and this is obviously one of them. Without the use of technology, this unit would take on a totally different feel. It would basically be lessons in separate classes, not linked by the common theme of movie analysis.
If I were to teach a lesson like this, I would need to do a serious amount of homework. I do not know the least bit about movies so this would take a lot of homework on my part. For the team of teachers to get this done, a lot of planning will be involved. The teachers will have to time their lessons just right so the entire unit will flow together. The English teacher should not analyze lighting until the students have learned about light in their science class. It is possible to pull this unit off but the teachers are going to have to do a lot of planning and communicating in order for it to be as successful as possible.
Teachers also have to realize that technology doesn’t always cooperate so they must plan accordingly. All lessons dealing with technology should have a back up plan and this unit is no exception. If technology fails, it is important that teacher do not give up on the lesson all together. They should keep the lesson going or possibly postpone it because the students are probably going to respond well to it.
Reflection 6: Hotlinks
Site 1
http://awd.cl.uh.edu/blog/
This site is to help teachers get started if they have an interest in blogging with their students. The site gives some articles on blogging, sample blogs, and some blog writing tools. The site also offers some insight as to why teachers and students should blog, as well as instructional tools for students who are just getting started on their blog. One thing that is special about this site is that it gives students examples of blogs that are specified to a particular subject. This will allow students to view blogging as an educational resource.
(Standards: Basic Operations and Concepts, Technology Productivity Tools, and Technology Research Tools)
Site 2
http://www.actionmath.com/blog/MathPlayground.html
This site is an actual blog spot but it is geered towards simple problem-solving tasks that are posed on the blog. This will come in handy for students who are interested in posing tasks through on their blog. This site gives examples of how tasks can be worded so that a more productive response is given.
(Standards: Technology Communication Tools and Technology Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Tools)
Site 3
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/techtorial/techtorial037print.shtml
This site is set up like a blogging tutorial for the students. It gives them an overview of what blogging is and how it can be useful to their education. The site also offers example blogs that students can refer to, as well as things students should watch out for while creating and editing their blogs. I liked this website because it gives students a view of how blogging can increase their communication in the classroom with their teachers and peers.
(Standards: Technology Productivity Tools and Technology Communications Tools)
http://awd.cl.uh.edu/blog/
This site is to help teachers get started if they have an interest in blogging with their students. The site gives some articles on blogging, sample blogs, and some blog writing tools. The site also offers some insight as to why teachers and students should blog, as well as instructional tools for students who are just getting started on their blog. One thing that is special about this site is that it gives students examples of blogs that are specified to a particular subject. This will allow students to view blogging as an educational resource.
(Standards: Basic Operations and Concepts, Technology Productivity Tools, and Technology Research Tools)
Site 2
http://www.actionmath.com/blog/MathPlayground.html
This site is an actual blog spot but it is geered towards simple problem-solving tasks that are posed on the blog. This will come in handy for students who are interested in posing tasks through on their blog. This site gives examples of how tasks can be worded so that a more productive response is given.
(Standards: Technology Communication Tools and Technology Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Tools)
Site 3
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/techtorial/techtorial037print.shtml
This site is set up like a blogging tutorial for the students. It gives them an overview of what blogging is and how it can be useful to their education. The site also offers example blogs that students can refer to, as well as things students should watch out for while creating and editing their blogs. I liked this website because it gives students a view of how blogging can increase their communication in the classroom with their teachers and peers.
(Standards: Technology Productivity Tools and Technology Communications Tools)
Reflection 5: Video Case Analysis
The used of the handhelds produced a student-centered learning because the students had control over their individual Palm. The students utilized their handhelds by organizing their own data, submitting their recordings to the teacher, and downloading quality research from sources that they read. The teacher did have some control over the assignments because he/she could change the format of a handout and then “beam” it to the students, and he/she could collect the assignments from the students as they were submitted. I still feel that the technology made for student-centered learning because the teacher and the students had use of the Palms and the students were judging how the handhelds could best fit their learning.
A particular assignment that the video addressed was a biology assignment where the students were asked to calculate their ecological footprints – or in other words “the number of hectors needed to sustain a human being.” The teacher integrated the technology into the assignment by having the students research various terms and ideas on the topic through their Palm, save their research, and then use it to collect data at home. The students then used their handhelds to record their data (food intake, weight of clothing, exercise, etc.), submit it to the teacher, and keep their project organized in their own Palm. The teacher commented on the use of the handhelds in the assignment by saying that the Palms helped the students stay organized because they did not have to mess with a folder, and the Palms also allowed the students to work on their projects inside and outside of class by saving their work. She also said that the handhelds produced more accurate research as well. The teacher made it very clear that she believes that real world learning heavily impacts the classroom and that a big part of education is keeping up with what is going on in the world.
I feel that this technology was a great addition to the classrooms of Carl Sandberg High. Although the video did not address ways to assess the students’ performance, I feel that it would be an easy thing to do. The teachers could always collect the handhelds and go through a quick check to see how well it was organized, or the teacher could also ask the students to print off a progress report from their Palm to monitor how their project is coming along. The teachers could also ask for things to be “beamed” to them so they could get the students work on their own handheld. As with anything, there could be some downfalls in using this technology. For one, if the student forgets his/her Palm then they would not have their information to work ahead on the project, and for two, the risk is always there of students losing/breaking the handhelds. Also, the Palms could bring along distractions such as various internet sites and chatting among students. However, I do feel that the positives of using the Palms outweigh the disadvantages. The advantages of using this technology would definitely be its ability to be small and compact so the students could pick up where they left off once they leave the classroom, and I feel that it offers a great way to stay organized. The Palms also allow the students to access resources to gain quality research which plays a vital role in the students’ learning.
Reflection 5 (Video Case Analysis)
http://www.edutopia.org/video/movie.php?reset=cookie&keyword=037&id=Art_909
Geometry in the Real World: Students as Architects, is a ten minute video about application within Eeva Reeder’s high school Geometry class. The last five weeks of her class are based around teams of two to three students who create a model of a high school in the year 2050. Included in the students’ projects are costs of the building, an architectural sketch, a 3-D model of one classroom within the school, and a final presentation of the complete project. The significance of this specific project is that Eeva had two professional architects come to the school to mentor the students throughout their learning and to evaluate their final projects. Eeva has been doing this project with her students for a few years, and has continued to actively engage her students and impress her colleagues.
There were a few technologies within the video that I recognized, but there was one that I am not familiar with. Students used Microsoft Powerpoint for a part of their presentation, and used an architectural program to create buildings. Within these buildings, students could create layouts of rooms including staircases, windows, tables, chairs, etc. It was nice to see the students smiling and enjoying this project because it was applicable to what some of them might do after their education. All the students produced their own projects using the technologies mentioned with the help of Eeva’s Geometry lessons and the assistance of the two professional architects. Each group had to learn to talk to each other and work toward a compromise in their project, which is a valuable lesson to be allowing them to do early on.
Eeva mentioned that her colleagues ask her how she can allow these students to do a five week project when there are other lessons to be covered. She said that within this project lie the lessons that the students need, and their active engagement in the projects are helping them learn and understand through practical use and discussion. Before Eeva could have begun this project, she would have had to consider what technologies were available to her students, and would those technologies contain the necessary provisions to help the students learn and complete their projects. From a pedagogical standpoint, Eeva would have to consider what cognitive activities that the students would elicit from participating in this project. She would have to ask herself how project-based learning can benefit her students. She probably knew that by giving her students something practical like this and letting them figure it out for themselves, they would become involved in it to a higher degree than normal.
In the video, assessment was based on architectural design, reasoning behind the work, and the presentation itself. Eeva had a rubric for each part of the assessment, so it was noticeable that she had been doing this for a few years and was comfortable with the process. As a teacher in Eeva’s situation, I would not sway from the way that she does it. I am not familiar with the architectural programs that she uses, so I could not compare it with other architectural programs. I might have students take a field trip early on to take pictures of modern architecture or browse the internet to look for modern architecture that could influence students’ ideas. Overall, allowing students to use technology at all is a step in the right direction, as this generation thrives on technology.
Geometry in the Real World: Students as Architects, is a ten minute video about application within Eeva Reeder’s high school Geometry class. The last five weeks of her class are based around teams of two to three students who create a model of a high school in the year 2050. Included in the students’ projects are costs of the building, an architectural sketch, a 3-D model of one classroom within the school, and a final presentation of the complete project. The significance of this specific project is that Eeva had two professional architects come to the school to mentor the students throughout their learning and to evaluate their final projects. Eeva has been doing this project with her students for a few years, and has continued to actively engage her students and impress her colleagues.
There were a few technologies within the video that I recognized, but there was one that I am not familiar with. Students used Microsoft Powerpoint for a part of their presentation, and used an architectural program to create buildings. Within these buildings, students could create layouts of rooms including staircases, windows, tables, chairs, etc. It was nice to see the students smiling and enjoying this project because it was applicable to what some of them might do after their education. All the students produced their own projects using the technologies mentioned with the help of Eeva’s Geometry lessons and the assistance of the two professional architects. Each group had to learn to talk to each other and work toward a compromise in their project, which is a valuable lesson to be allowing them to do early on.
Eeva mentioned that her colleagues ask her how she can allow these students to do a five week project when there are other lessons to be covered. She said that within this project lie the lessons that the students need, and their active engagement in the projects are helping them learn and understand through practical use and discussion. Before Eeva could have begun this project, she would have had to consider what technologies were available to her students, and would those technologies contain the necessary provisions to help the students learn and complete their projects. From a pedagogical standpoint, Eeva would have to consider what cognitive activities that the students would elicit from participating in this project. She would have to ask herself how project-based learning can benefit her students. She probably knew that by giving her students something practical like this and letting them figure it out for themselves, they would become involved in it to a higher degree than normal.
In the video, assessment was based on architectural design, reasoning behind the work, and the presentation itself. Eeva had a rubric for each part of the assessment, so it was noticeable that she had been doing this for a few years and was comfortable with the process. As a teacher in Eeva’s situation, I would not sway from the way that she does it. I am not familiar with the architectural programs that she uses, so I could not compare it with other architectural programs. I might have students take a field trip early on to take pictures of modern architecture or browse the internet to look for modern architecture that could influence students’ ideas. Overall, allowing students to use technology at all is a step in the right direction, as this generation thrives on technology.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Reflection #5 -- Hotlinks
Edublogs.org -- Blog creation site for educators and students
This site allows you to set up your own blog for your classroom (if you're a teacher) or as a student. As some of its features it has spam protection and you can add multiple pages to your website, or upgrade to Premium for even more. The best part of this site is that it was built by educators for educators and have committed themselves to helping other teachers at all levels integrate blogging into their classrooms.
http://edublogs.org/
This site is a compilation of blogs created by educators or people dedicated to research in education and technology. They even have blogs interating subject areas, including a math one! Woo-hoo! :-)
http://www.teachers.answers.com/main/teachers_weblogs.jsp
Weblogg-ed.com -- The read/write web in the classroom
This site has a long list of sample blogs and articles on how you can integrate blogging and other technology into your classroom. All these can be found in the right-hand column under "Categories."
http://weblogg-ed.com/
Reflection #5
http://www.edutopia.org/video/movie.php?reset=cookie&keyword=137&id=Art_1270
The video I watched was called "Highschool.com." It discussed the many different public and private schools that are now offering classes through the Internet. The schools provide classes for students in grades 7-12 and in a variety of subjects, from random electives to AP classes. In the case of Virtual High School (or VHS), a group of public schools came together to create the school. Each school has at least one teacher that has committed to teaching an online course. Of the teachers interviewed, the majority of them liked having a virtual classroom. They said that they have a much more interactive classroom, and are able to meet with more students one-on-one if they need extra help. One teacher even said she feels that she can evaluate students' strengths and weaknesses more quickly in the virtual classroom than a real one. However, even the professionals agree that a student's high school experience should not be limited to only Internet classes; the school social environment has too much of an impact on students lives to be dismissed. In the end, though, it is the students that are in charge of their own education since having online courses, students have to ve self-motivated to keep up with course work. However, with a 90% course completion rate and AP students showing a 10% higher achievement on exames, these Internet classes must be doing something right!
The majority of the technology used in this video includes personal computers, laptops, and the Internet. Students also use other technology such as calculators and conference call systems for certain classes. Nearly all the technology used was student and teacher-centered; both students and teachers had to use the same technology, namely computers and the Internet, for educational success. Using this technology, I believe, does make the lessons more engaging for students. Using a computer is much more interactive than sitting in a classroom where the teacher may or may not be engaging the students. Using computers and the Internet requires students to be attentive and engaged in the what is going on during the lesson. Also, many times students can begin their lessons at a time that is convenient for them. This enables them to choose what time they "go to school" and will most likely be a time when they are more able to concentrate.
From a teacher's point of view, a great deal of planning must go into each lesson taught in a virtual classroom. One educator pointed out that one's tone of voice cannot be used in text form, so he has to be especially careful with how he words instructions and lessons. Also, teachers must take the time to develop their course website and any tools they wish to implement on that site, such as activities, discussion forums, downloads, etc. It is also important for teachers to remember that since not all their students attend the school in which they teach, the instructors must be willing to spend extra time outside of school on the phone (or using other means of communication) with students who need extra help. However, this allows for individualized time with students, as well as a great way to get to know students and develop a relationship with them. Assessment using virtual classrooms can be done any number of ways, including standard tests and quizzes. However, one could also use online activities that track students' achievement and pin-point students' strengths and weaknesses.
Overall, I saw many advantages to using a virtual classroom for a few courses during a student's high school career. Internet classes require that students be self-motivated to complete the course. Students are likely to be more engaged, and teachers can help more students one-on-one using a virtual classroom. However, I believe this only goes so far; a student who does not have a chance to interact face-to-face with their teacher loses the chance to get to know their instructor on an even deeper level. Also, it takes initiative for a student to call a teacher they have never seen or met before. If I were to ever teach a virtual course I almost feel that calling each student before class begins would be at least a good starting point to take the first step and introduce myself.
The video I watched was called "Highschool.com." It discussed the many different public and private schools that are now offering classes through the Internet. The schools provide classes for students in grades 7-12 and in a variety of subjects, from random electives to AP classes. In the case of Virtual High School (or VHS), a group of public schools came together to create the school. Each school has at least one teacher that has committed to teaching an online course. Of the teachers interviewed, the majority of them liked having a virtual classroom. They said that they have a much more interactive classroom, and are able to meet with more students one-on-one if they need extra help. One teacher even said she feels that she can evaluate students' strengths and weaknesses more quickly in the virtual classroom than a real one. However, even the professionals agree that a student's high school experience should not be limited to only Internet classes; the school social environment has too much of an impact on students lives to be dismissed. In the end, though, it is the students that are in charge of their own education since having online courses, students have to ve self-motivated to keep up with course work. However, with a 90% course completion rate and AP students showing a 10% higher achievement on exames, these Internet classes must be doing something right!
The majority of the technology used in this video includes personal computers, laptops, and the Internet. Students also use other technology such as calculators and conference call systems for certain classes. Nearly all the technology used was student and teacher-centered; both students and teachers had to use the same technology, namely computers and the Internet, for educational success. Using this technology, I believe, does make the lessons more engaging for students. Using a computer is much more interactive than sitting in a classroom where the teacher may or may not be engaging the students. Using computers and the Internet requires students to be attentive and engaged in the what is going on during the lesson. Also, many times students can begin their lessons at a time that is convenient for them. This enables them to choose what time they "go to school" and will most likely be a time when they are more able to concentrate.
From a teacher's point of view, a great deal of planning must go into each lesson taught in a virtual classroom. One educator pointed out that one's tone of voice cannot be used in text form, so he has to be especially careful with how he words instructions and lessons. Also, teachers must take the time to develop their course website and any tools they wish to implement on that site, such as activities, discussion forums, downloads, etc. It is also important for teachers to remember that since not all their students attend the school in which they teach, the instructors must be willing to spend extra time outside of school on the phone (or using other means of communication) with students who need extra help. However, this allows for individualized time with students, as well as a great way to get to know students and develop a relationship with them. Assessment using virtual classrooms can be done any number of ways, including standard tests and quizzes. However, one could also use online activities that track students' achievement and pin-point students' strengths and weaknesses.
Overall, I saw many advantages to using a virtual classroom for a few courses during a student's high school career. Internet classes require that students be self-motivated to complete the course. Students are likely to be more engaged, and teachers can help more students one-on-one using a virtual classroom. However, I believe this only goes so far; a student who does not have a chance to interact face-to-face with their teacher loses the chance to get to know their instructor on an even deeper level. Also, it takes initiative for a student to call a teacher they have never seen or met before. If I were to ever teach a virtual course I almost feel that calling each student before class begins would be at least a good starting point to take the first step and introduce myself.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)