Podcasts Are Teaching Tools!

Podcasts are a great way to incorporate technology in the classroom!  I found a fantastic resource for science podcasts called Dragonfly TV.  These podcasts feature young students exploring science through their own lives and experiences.  The podcasts cover a variety of science topics and would be a great asset to a classroom!

One particular podcast I found could be easily integrated into the classroom as an introductory activity.  The podcast is about temperate rainforests.  It would be an interesting way for students to develop background knowledge on rainforests before going into an in-depth study on them. 

In addition, the podcast also features the young girls participating in an experiment.  This would be an asset when asking students to identify and develop key aspects of an effective experiment.  I particularly like how the girls analyzed and communicated the results of their experiment in a bar graph.  I know that this is something that students need to master and, therefore, this podcast could be a way to show them a great example!

The World Is At Our Fingertips!

The ePals program is "a unique collaborative environment optimized for global K-12 education" which can be used in the K-12 classrooms to integrate authentic learning experiences.  This program can be integrated in the classroom in many different subject areas and for many different reasons.  Some of these examples are as follows:

• The program provides opportunities to work closely with classrooms around the world.  When learning about another country, a class could easily contact a classroom in that part of the world to discover what their daily lives look like. 
• The program allows students to e-mail back and forth.  This is a great way getting the students to write (or type) for an authentic purpose.  Finding out about others cultures, daily lives or just their personal interests would be an engaging experience for students.
• The program provides lessons that teachers can use for different purposes.  The lessons explain all aspect of the delivery and how the ePals program is integrated.
• The program can be used to display writing pieces with others.
• The program could be used as a book talk with other students who are reading the same books.  This takes the discussion beyond the classroom walls where the student will experience authentic book talk.

These are just a few ideas of how this program could be used in the classroom.  It seems like this would be a worthy investment for districts in order to provide student with a more authentic learning environment.  The world, literally, the world, is at our fingertips!

Flickr and All That Comes With It!

Wow! I did not know how much there was out there that can be used with Flickr!  I love the idea that you can create your own books using the Bookr application.  This would be a great resource in the classroom!  I believe that in this era of such advanced technology, this could be a useful and motivational tool for students in a classroom!  Some ideas for use of this application are:

• Personal "All About Me" digital books for the beginning of the year (see example - it is not my best work, but it will do for an example of my vision!)
• Personalized digital storybooks for students who complete their writing before others: students can turn their writing into illustrated digital books that could be shared on a classroom blog
• Class storybooks for events, activities or important lessons in the classroom
• Books for use at a computer center that supplement instruction
• A class book that features each students and their strengths and goals for the year

Really, the possibilities are endless!  I find I will most likely use this type of application frequently in my classroom!

Important Notes About Flickr and Creative Commons Licenses!

After perusing through Flickr, I have learned more about the different types of licenses that can be attributed with copyrighted material.  There are some terms that I found and retrieved on Flickr: Creative Commons that helped me to understand better:

Attribution means:
You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform your copyrighted work - and derivative works based upon it - but only if they give you credit.
Noncommercial means:
You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform your work - and derivative works based upon it - but for noncommercial purposes only.
No Derivative Works means:
You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform only verbatim copies of your work, not derivative works based upon it.
Share Alike means:
You allow others to distribute derivative works only under a license identical to the license that governs your work.

Any of these licenses can be combined to protect the work as the artist sees fit.  For example, there may be a attribution, no derivatives license.  This means that the artist allows others to copy, distribute, display and perform the work if given credit, but no type of changes can be made to that work.  Or, there can be an attribution, noncommercial license where the artist allows others to copy, distribute, display or perform the work by those that give the artist credit and are noncommercial.

It is essential that individuals that are using copyrighted works have an understanding of these different types of licenses as to protect themselves from legal issues.

Here is a photo I found on Flickr of Ireland....

Why Should We Use Twitter in the Classroom?

Twitter has been a growing craze in all areas of society for several years now.  Children are using this is a means of communication between friends, adults are using it as an opportunity to interact with other adults that share common interests and it continues to grow as a social networking site.  So, if this is so widely used and easily navigated, why are we not taking advantage of this in our classrooms?

Just as we build off of what students already know in math, we should be using resources in the classroom that students are already familiar with.  Jeffrey Young states in his article More on Academic Twittering: Breaking Down the Classroom Walls, we must "extend the walls of the classroom, make education relevant to all aspects of students lives rather than just what they do four-five hours a day we need to think of ways to extend the ways we form and foster learning communities".  In that way, Twitter can be used in various ways in the classroom:

1. An interactive way to build prior knowledge on a subject before learning/reading about it.  For example, the teacher could post the subject to be discussed (i.e. different types of communities) and students could respond with what they are familiar with (i.e. experiences in traveling between different communities).  Then, students could respond and expand on each others' posts.
2. An interactive reader response forum.  The following explanation was extracted from the article Can we use Twitter for educational activities, "students can use tweets to send out questions and observations to the group."
3. A public book sharing forum where students write a short summary of a book they recommend to friends.  This would assist students in summarizing only the main ideas of a story or novel.  Students could easily visit the site to determine what to read next.
4. A project management tool where students can tweet to delegate assignments and check in with each other. (Can we use Twitter for educational activities)
5. A resource for teachers to share best practices with other educators.
6. Find more uses of Twitter in the classroom: Can we use Twitter for educational activities.

Let's make students' learning experiences engaging and relevant to their lives, their needs and their knowledge!

Let's Use Quality Videos In the Classroom!

As teachers, we are, or should be, continually attempting to find better ways to engage our students in the learning process.  As a special educator, I have found that, sometimes, this is a difficult task.  But, through my experience in a self-contained classroom last year, I found that using videos was something that truly worked for my students.  Videos kept their attention and they were able to absorb information they may not have in a text or lecture.  Therefore, I am always keeping my eyes out for useful sites that provide free videos that could be integrated into the classroom. 

Upon exploring Google Reader and various blogs available through the site, I found one dedicated to sharing free Internet resources: Free Resources from the Net for EVERY Learner.  One particular post provided information on the website called WatchKnow.  This website provides teachers or individuals with a database of videos that can be used in classrooms.  This website allows individuals to use search and filter options to find the best video for their needs.  This site is similar to TeacherTube, but the more resources, the better!

There is a short video that gives a great overview of the site!

Classroom 2.0: A Resource For Teachers

After exploring Ning, I found this group that I believe could be useful to me in the future.  The group is Classroom 2.0 (click on the picture for hyperlink).  This group is composed of many teachers from all around the world and is a place where there can be a collaboration of ideas.  In addition, there are opportunities for professional development type of events that are promoted on the page.  It is a great way to get connected to experienced teachers that have great ideas and answers to many important questions!

Connectivism: Learners Are Like Highways

A learner is like a well developed highway.  A highway that is a one-lane road that gets us from point A to point B is not nearly as effective as a highway that has several lanes with many exits between point A and point B.  The same is true with learners in today's society; a leaner that does not branch out to connect to many different people and places of information is just as ineffective as a one-lane highway.  Therefore, an effective learner develops the ability to create many different branches (or exits) that connect to knowledgeable people or resources. 

There are so many sources of knowledge in society, students need the skills to be able to make connections and use these sources.  In his video "The Changing Nature of Knowledge," Siemens states "the learners themselves, the connections they form with each other, the connections they form with databases, with other sources of knowledge, is really the primary point of learning."  In that, it is where students branch off (like exits on a highway) that are the essential points in the learning process because they give the learner more opportunities to connect with other sources that may be more knowledgeable than them.  The more sources they have in their network, the more knowledgeable they will be presently and in the future.

In addition, the actual process of learning how to connect to others is a vital skill needed for the ever-changing nature of knowledge.  In his article "Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age," Siemens (2005) states that "[as] knowledge continues to grow and evolve, access to what is needed is more important than what the learner currently possesses."  This statement is an integral principle in connectivism because knowledge is viewed as something that is constantly changing and it is how we receive this knowledge that is, now, more important than ever.

Watch Out! Digital Literacy Has Arrived!

The terms digital literacy and new literacies were very foreign to me when I began my graduate work, but now, they are terms that I cannot stop coming back to.  They summarize the new types of literacy experiences that students of this generation are embracing: texting, blogging, social networking, picture messaging, skyping, etc.  All of these forms of literacy are not only vital to their success in this new and every-changing world of technology, these literacies are engaging. 

Students no longer need to pick up a textbook to learn how to divide fractions; they can simply open the Internet and type it into google.  That, in itself, is amazing!  But, as stated in the video hyperlinked below, it is vital that with these new types of literacies, students learn to analyze and evaluate.  They need to be savvy, but intelligent:

• Do the authors of a blog have a significant bias?
• Are the resources reliable?
• How many resources should I check to make sure this is the correct information?

These are just a few questions that our students need to keep in mind when using new literacies.  We have to teach them to analyze the information and evaluate whether or not it is reliable.

In the following video, students of this generation open our eyes, as educators, to a new way to look at digital literacy: it is not a hassle to learn how to use it, it is a necessity!  As teachers, we should always be reflecting on our practices and I believe that these students provide an important and essential viewpoint on new and upcoming technology that should be used in classrooms to prepare students for life in an ever-changing world.

"Teach me to think... to create... to analyze... to evaluate... to apply.  Teach me to think"

How Can We Use Blogging in the Classroom SAFELY?

The Internet is not only a invaluable resource, it can also be a very dangerous place for adults and children if the right precautions are not taken.  Therefore, it is essential to lay some ground work before allowing students to interact with the world of blogging in the classroom. As teachers, it is important that we teach and model these Internet safety tips while we are in the classroom!  I have compiled a list of tips that I think are the most important to teach and model for children in a school or home setting:

1. Be anonymous: do not use your name, address, phone number, location or pictures with strangers
2. Be in control: set up your privacy preferences so that only the people that you want will be able to check out your blog AND so that you are able to control (in some way) the comments that are posted to your page
3. Think twice: about uploading pictures, giving out personal information, opening files or e-mails from strangers or blogging about an issue that may get you into trouble
4. Ask for help: if you find that a stranger is making inappropriate or unwanted comments, ask an adult to help you solve the problem
5. Be true to yourself: blog with your morals and ideals in mind and do not do anything/post anything that you would not do/say in real life

In addition to teaching and modeling these tips for students, I believe parents should be aware that they have a part in this type of educational adventure too.  If students are able to access their blogs at home, parents should be advised to monitor the amount of time their children are on the computer, what types of websites they are visiting and what information they are giving out on these websites.

With these precautions in mind and with effective modeling, students can use the Internet and blogging as an educational tool without any safety concerns.  But, before we let our future adults take control, let's make sure they are aware of the importance of these issues!

How Can We Use Blogging in the Classroom?

Although I have never really had the chance to use blogging with any of my students in the past, the reading for this week and other resources I have viewed create great insight into different ways of using blogs in the classroom.  It was interesting to discover the many uses for blogging in the classroom.  One thing that concerned me about the students I have worked with is their lack of computer skills.  Working in an urban school district, many students do not have outside access to computers and, therefore, all computer skills must be honed in the classroom.  As a result, a few weeks would have to be spent on using a computer and improving typing and navigation skills.

If I were working with a higher grade elementary classroom (grades 4 or higher), I would love to use blogging as a creative book club.  In this way, students could interact with each other and each other's thoughts/comments through the blog set up by myself.  As a facilitator, I could propose questions or points-of-view that my students could answer or react to.  In addition, the students could comment back and forth to one another.  There would have to be set guidelines on what would be expected of the students (i.e. effective communication of ideas, number of posts, length of posts, etc.).

I also believe a classroom blog that could be visited by the families and friends of the students would be a creative way of involving important people in the classroom activities.  By creating a schedule of activities, projects or assignments, parents/guardians will be able to make sure their children are keeping up with their work in school.  Also, this could be an area where students with exemplary work could post it for others to see.  This could create a sense of accomplishment for both the students and their families!  But, I would be sure to read all of the comments before they are posted so we would not have any issues in the classroom.

As a future teacher, it is vital that I am able to reflect on my teaching practices and situations that arise throughout my career.  I believe that blogging would be a great way to reflect on lessons, activities, routines or other matters in the classroom (that are not confidential, of course!).  In this way, I would be able to received feedback from peers that may have had the same struggles.  This type of reflective practice will only strengthen my skills as a teacher!  I value the opinions of other, more experienced, teachers and would love for this type of interaction to be possible in order to benefit each other in the professional world!

Standards met by blogging: ELA 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.2.  Not all of these standards would be met in one single blog, but all of these standards could be covered depending on the types of skills the students will be using to write the blogs.

After viewing several videos online about blogging in the classroom, I found this one created by a group of students.  I found this video to be an interesting insight (from the students' perspective) into why we, as teachers, need to keep progressing with the new technology of the times.  Here goes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfJETK3am1M