Skip to main content

Home/ Drexeleduc611/ Group items tagged science

Rss Feed Group items tagged

Filter: All | Bookmarks | Topics Simple Middle
Paul Mungo

The Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE) - 2 views

Here is a the link to The Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE) - a great resource for science teachers http://wise.berkeley.edu

educ775 blogging

started by Paul Mungo on 20 May 13 no follow-up yet
Stephanie Petrucci

27 Websites That Make Learning Science Fun - 0 views

seekoutlearning.blogspot.com/...hat-make-learning-science.html

edchat educ775 twitter

shared by Stephanie Petrucci on 18 Jan 14 - No Cached
  • Stephanie Petrucci on 18 Jan 14
     
    This is a great site that I actually found through twitter by searching #edchat and I was so excited when I saw it. I hope you find it helpful too!
amyhutmacher

A Guidebook for Social Media in the Classroom | Edutopia - 6 views

www.edutopia.org/...media-in-classroom-vicki-davis

shared by amyhutmacher on 04 Mar 14 - No Cached
  • get feedback for your students' online science fair projects
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 04 Mar 14
       
      Connect with scientists and get them to comment on your students' science fair projects through blog posts.
    • Samantha Carrabba
      Samantha Carrabba on 12 Mar 14
       
      We have been studying the Iditarod in 4th grade. I was actually 3 years old watching the mushers at the starting line in 1973 when the race began. My father was the communication specialist. We are going to skype with him later this week and compare on contrast the communication in 1973 and today.
  • Don't mistake social media for socializing. They're different -- just as kids talking as they work in groups or talking while hanging out are different.
    • Julie Maley
      Julie Maley on 05 Mar 14
       
      This is something that has changed for me during this class, my thinking that if students were using social media during class time they would just be social chatting. However, it allows for them to collaborate and work with others outside of their classroom, using a tool that they enjoy using and are comfortable using. Just like in group work, they communicate academically, social media can also be used to communicate for academic purposes. Jmaley
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 09 Mar 14
       
      It'sf you're using engagement strategies, making learning meaningful, and powerful classroom management - all need to be in place
  • YouTube for your students to host a show or a podcas
    • Julie Maley
      Julie Maley on 05 Mar 14
       
      Many students love to create and watch youtube videos. As youtube becomes more popular students are able to have their videos viewed by millions, receiving comments, and critiques by others on how to improve their work. It may also unleash producers, and directors that may not know they had a passion for that art form. ( Jmaley)
    • Darren Smith
      Darren Smith on 12 Mar 14
       
      You nailed it. It could really get the creative juices flowing for those particular students who excel in these areas. (Darren Smith)
  • ...21 more annotations...
  • Social media is here
    • Julie Maley
      Julie Maley on 05 Mar 14
       
      Social media is here and it is not going anywhere, it is only going to get larger and more accessible. Students will learn at a younger age how to use it and it is best if they learn the proper way to use and not to use it and how to learn from it and gain as much knowledge from having information at their fingertips from a vast amount of people. It is also best for teachers new and old to learn, and continue to learn as the apps and websites change in order to better themselves as teachers. ( Jmaley)
    • Derek Hughes
      Derek Hughes on 08 Mar 14
       
      Social media is definitely here! I think the last sentence about it being a tool is incredibly important for people to know. It is not something to be feared or be anxious about. It is something that we can use to reach our students in another way; arguably, in a way they are more comfortable with. I think it is incredibly important for any educator to understand the power of social media as a collaborative tool for education
    • matt schill
      matt schill on 09 Mar 14
       
      Julie, I agree that social media is here for the long haul. As technology increases, social media will be more accessible for students and teachers. One thing that I have learned throughout this course is that teachers continue to learn about social media and not just the students. Matt Schill
    • Laura Acker
      Laura Acker on 06 Mar 14
       
      This is a great idea except that I would want to do a "real" tweet as an exit ticket.
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 09 Mar 14
       
      And use a hashtag (#) so that all of the tweets show up on a feed.
    • caldwell14
      caldwell14 on 07 Mar 14
       
      YES! This is something my CT and I talk about almost daily. Our freshmen cannot compose a grammatically correct, respectful email query to save their lives and it's horrifying. In addition to internet safety, etiquette is something that should not be taken for granted as something students come equipped knowing - in many instances, kids email how they text and that technique doesn't recognize shifts in tone or audience. If I receive another "hey, wut is the hwk tonite?" email sent from a student, I may scream. I absolutely will be adding a "how to email" mini lesson before I'm done with student teaching in 4 weeks. :)
    • caldwell14
      caldwell14 on 07 Mar 14
       
      Whoops - this is Sarah Caldwell.
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 09 Mar 14
       
      That's a great idea, Sarah. Do they have a writing rubric to use as a guide for all writing? That might help as well....have the students help you create the rubric and post it in the room:).
  • Share your learning with the world. My students are creating an Encyclopedia of Learning Games (21) with Dr. Lee Graham's grad students at the University of Alaska Southeast. The educators are testing the games, and the students are testing them, too.
    • amyhutmacher
      amyhutmacher on 07 Mar 14
       
      I actually had a similar idea to this for the math classroom I'm student teaching in. I have several online (virtual) math manipulatives that are good resources for further understanding of different math concepts. However, I would like students to be able to try them out, comment on them, and find new ones. I would like to compile the results (by topic) in one area so students in other classes or future classes could be aware they exist, go directly to helpful virtual manipulatives, and not waste time on ones that don't improve their understanding of the subject matter. (AHutmacher)
    • matt schill
      matt schill on 11 Mar 14
       
      In my student teaching experience, I learned first-hand the importance of using manipulatives during math. However, I never realized that there were multiple virtual manipulatives. How effective are they? The advancement of technology is simply amazing. (Matt Schill)
    • amyhutmacher
      amyhutmacher on 13 Mar 14
       
      Hi Matt, I've used several manipulatives while tutoring...geogebra has many saved activities that let students explore the different ways graphs change when you change the values of the coefficients, for example. The National Library of Virtual Manipulatives has a lot, as well as NCTM (Illuminations). I also like Interactivate (shodor.org).
  • Kids need to write letters and mail them.
    • Sara Jugan Vinskofski
      Sara Jugan Vinskofski on 08 Mar 14
       
      This is very important! It is becoming a lost art, everyone should know how to write a letter. While I understand that email is a faster way of communication there is still importance in knowing how to write a letter. How could mailing a letter be more dangerous than what you can come across on the internet? (SJVinskofski)
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 09 Mar 14
       
      I agree - both need to be taught and practiced:)
    • Rich Bailey
      Rich Bailey on 10 Mar 14
       
      I agree as well, even though there is internet ways to communicate, nothing beats a the human aspect that comes from a letter.  I have been guilty of relying too heavily on email and found that family members felt disconnected from me.  Just because I think email is a personable way to communicate, doesn't mean others do.  I now make it a point to communicate via cards and little notes to family that is further away from me to keep that human aspect there.  Students need to see the value in this as well.  This reminds me of the cursive hand writing discussion where some schools feel there is no need to teach it.  I can't imagine why not as there is no way to make it through life without being able to write, there just isn't... (Rich Bailey)
    • Darren Smith
      Darren Smith on 11 Mar 14
       
      I could not agree more. Call me old school, but when I see LOL, SMH, etc. I sometimes cringe. I understand they have their place in the world now and email is here to stay too but there is so much gained by learning how to write letters. Beyond the aspect of learning the format, it helps you gain a better grasp of the English language too. There is nothing wrong with having students write. The more they write (whatever format), the better they become. I always used to tall my students, practice makes perfect. (Darren Smith)
  • Let your students write for the world. Linda Yollis' students (9) reflect about learning and classroom happenings.
    • Liz Kelley
      Liz Kelley on 08 Mar 14
       
      Mrs. Yollis' 3rd grade students use Twitter to challenge other classes around the world to "mystery number" math problems. They tweet clues and their answers each week. She also did a great international vocab project using twitter and blogs. Show students how they can meaningfully connect with other students around the world. Gives social media a concrete and educational direction, rather than just socializing (the "social media myth"). A great tech-savy educator! (Liz Kelley)
    • amy rouchon
      amy rouchon on 10 Mar 14
       
      I think this is a terrific idea to really help students be global! We have the capability to reach out to other countries and students at a finger tip now, why not integrate a lesson where the students work collaboratively globally and practice using social media. (Amy Rouchon)
  • Communicate with other classrooms.
    • Darren Smith
      Darren Smith on 08 Mar 14
       
      This is something that has been fascinating me since we covered it a few weeks back in this class. I absolutely love the idea of working with other classes all across the country and the globe. Talk about a good way for you to familiarize your students with other cultures...especially if you are working with students who don't have much experience with what happens just outside their neighborhood. There are so many different projects you can exxplore by working with other students in different areas. (Darren Smith)
    • mmh0389
      mmh0389 on 08 Mar 14
       
      How fun would it be for students to be able to communicate with other classes? I love this idea because so many students have friends in other classes and it would be something to talk about during recess. It's also a great tool as educators to be able to share ideas across classrooms. (M. Hackett)
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 09 Mar 14
       
      Darren - this is easy to do - start blogging about a topic, unit, etc. make it global - connect with another class and have students comment on each others' blogs. You'd need a rubric that shows them how to comment meaningfully and also how to reflect and make connections....but imagine the learning that would take place! -Dr. Fritz
    • Samantha Carrabba
      Samantha Carrabba on 12 Mar 14
       
      Last year I observed 3 4th grade classes from around NY state video conferencing. Each class shared a presentation detailing the facts of the region of NY they lived in. The other two classes had to figure out the region they lived in by the clues they gave. Then they took turns asking questions about the length of the school day, recess schedule and how much snow they had. The students were all engaged and astonished that one school only had recess on Mondays.
  • Tweet or post status updates as a class. Teacher Karen Lirenman (7) lets students propose nuggets of learning that are posted for parents to read.
    • mmh0389
      mmh0389 on 08 Mar 14
       
      I think this is a great way for students to feel involved in the learning process! It helps for students to learn about using twitter in a safe environment while also communicating with parents, what a great idea.
    • mmh0389
      mmh0389 on 08 Mar 14
       
      (M. Hackett)
  • The myth about social media in the classroom is that if you use it, kids will be Tweeting, Facebooking and Snapchatting while you're trying to teach.
    • Samantha Carrabba
      Samantha Carrabba on 08 Mar 14
       
      Let's face it they probably are already doing this but they are way off topic. If we harness the power and social media and use it in the classroom we can guide these conversations toward a deeper level of understanding of the content or material. We have the opportunity and responsibilty to teach students to be responsible digital citizens. Ignoring social media will not make it go away and we as teachers can learn from our students as they teach us new ways to use social media.
    • matt schill
      matt schill on 09 Mar 14
       
      Samantha, my biggest fear is that students would be checking their Facebook and Twitter accounts if social media was used in the classroom. However, I have learned how to effectively use social media in the classroom to ensure that this does not happen! Plus, if social media is used appropriately, students will be engaged and focused on task. Matt Schill
    • Alanna Novosel
      Alanna Novosel on 09 Mar 14
       
      Great point Samantha! When social media tools are being used everywhere it should be our job to recognize this and figure out how we can use it to our advantage.
    • Alanna Novosel
      Alanna Novosel on 09 Mar 14
       
      (Alanna Novosel)
    • Rich Bailey
      Rich Bailey on 10 Mar 14
       
      I can see where this could be a concern and as someone else stated, they are going to be doing it anyway.  I however think that Facebook and those mentioned apps are not the only form of social media and if you introduce them to something new and captivating that you do want them to use, this could deter them from straying off... I am not faced with this for my profession however when training clinicians and other medical faculty, it's sometimes like herding cats but I have found that if I constantly keep them guessing and reiterating the WIIFM (whats in it for me), it tends to keep them on focus.  Students sadly may not be too concerned with the WIIFM however they will be concerned if they possibly miss out on the coolest new social media tool... (Rich Bailey)
    • Sara Jugan Vinskofski
      Sara Jugan Vinskofski on 10 Mar 14
       
      I have been learning that there is more to social media than facebook and twitter. There are a lot of great tools out there but, I think it is important that we teach our students and children to use them responsibily and appropriately.
  • Social media is another tool that you can use to make your classroom more engaging, relevant and culturally diverse.
    • matt schill
      matt schill on 09 Mar 14
       
      If social media is used correctly, it can lead to creative thinking. Educators should be incorporating social media to keep students engaged as well as providing opportunities for students to connect with others. Matt Schill
  • Surely students will post thousands of status updates, pictures, and blogs in their lifetime.
    • Alanna Novosel
      Alanna Novosel on 09 Mar 14
       
      This brings up a great point. One that we have all discussed a great deal at this point. It is a given that in this day of social media and technology, that students will surely be posting to facebook or twitter, or some other social media tool. So, why not teach them how to use these and other tools responsibly? We've discussed many ways in which students can use social media tools in a responsible and appropriate manner. If these ideas are introduced early on, then maybe it will just become the norm, instead something that is discouraged.
  • Some teachers are even doing "tweets" on post-it notes (6) as exit tickets.
    • Alanna Novosel
      Alanna Novosel on 09 Mar 14
       
      What a fantastic idea. I don't know that students in lower elementary grades would be ready for this yet, but it wouldn't be too far off to expect students in 4th and 5th grade to be able to do this. I think this would also keep students on task and interested in the lesson.
    • Alanna Novosel
      Alanna Novosel on 09 Mar 14
       
      (Alanna Novosel)
    • amy rouchon
      amy rouchon on 10 Mar 14
       
      I think you bring up a great point Alanna! The student do it already, why not incorporate it in the classroom to something relevant?
  • If you're going to ignore social media in the classroom, then throw out the ISTE Standards for Students (24) and stop pretending that you're 21st century. Stop pretending that you're helping low-income children overcome the digital divide if you aren't going to teach them how to communicate online.
    • Alanna Novosel
      Alanna Novosel on 09 Mar 14
       
      Technology and social media interaction are happening and they are all around us. It's time we learn that we can't avoid using these tools any longer. In order to help ALL students we need to use these tools - especially in the classroom. In the classroom, it doesn't matter whether they are low-income or not. They should all be given the chance to use every resources possible.
    • Alanna Novosel
      Alanna Novosel on 09 Mar 14
       
      (Alanna Novosel)
    • Rich Bailey
      Rich Bailey on 10 Mar 14
       
      Alanna, I agree!  I am currently taking another class with Drexel (Adult Learning Theory and Practice) and we were talking about higher education being online and how some argue it's not available to people without means of owning a computer.  I disputed this as one much not own a computer to use one (libraries).  Would owning one be more convenient, yes, but convenience isn't always an option when trying to get ahead in life.  My point here is if we don't teach students about technology they may not access right not at home, doesn't mean they don't deserve to learn about it and doesn't mean they aren't empowered to make themselves get out of their low-income status and be successful in the future.  If we limit students to an education based on the economics of their family and community, we are limiting them to living in that same economical state as an adult, which is a severe injustice for them to have those limitations placed on them. (Rich Bailey)
  • Are we opening up a whole dangerous world to our students once they are writing online and posting comments to each other?
    • Aaron Bilby
      Aaron Bilby on 09 Mar 14
       
      Yes, but are we causing more harm to our students by NOT teaching them how to use this social media? Granted, using social media can be dangerous, but I still think we need to teach our students how to use the media. However, in teaching them how to use the media, we MUST teach them how to be safe.  We need to teach our kids what they should and should not be posting on social media. I say teach them the media, but teach them how to use it safely. 
    • Darren Smith
      Darren Smith on 11 Mar 14
       
      Excellent point. We are opening up some dangerous ground but this kind of communication is here to stay. There is no way to keep them off social media so it is very important to teach them the responsible way to do it. We can only hope that they realize how serious it is and they pay attention to what we are saying. You know how many kids will say "That can never happen to me". (Darren Smith)
  • It's just another resource and doesn't have to be a distraction from learning objectives
    • Aaron Bilby
      Aaron Bilby on 09 Mar 14
       
      If all teachers could realize this, the classroom would be a much different place. It still amazes me how some teachers view social media as a distraction in the classroom. If the media is used correctly, it is not a distraction in the classroom. 
    • Darren Smith
      Darren Smith on 12 Mar 14
       
      Agreed with most of what you said. However, I think Social Media CAN be a distraction but it is up to the teacher to figure out how to harness it's power and teach the student how to use it wisely. I think the key is to be consistent with what is proper and what is not. I am sure teachers will find some students that will push the envelope on acceptable use. (Darren Smith)
    • Januari Evans
      Januari Evans on 10 Mar 14
       
      This entire check list is very important. I think that as teachers we need to make sure our students understand this. As adults who grew up without social media we too need to be aware that it is monitored. Those of us looking to become teachers should be very aware of what we share and like on our pages
  • The Social Media Answer
    • Januari Evans
      Januari Evans on 10 Mar 14
       
      This entire check list is very important. I think that as teachers we need to make sure our students understand this. As adults who grew up without social media we too need to be aware that it is monitored. Those of us looking to become teachers should be very aware of what we share and like on our pages
    • Januari Evans
      Januari Evans on 10 Mar 14
       
      This line to me is the epitimy of what this semester is about. So many teachers are terrified of allowing students to be online. While I observe I see the faces of teachers who have been doing their job a long time, I think they believe that the computer is their competition. In reality the computer can be their biggest ally. I think most instructors know that having a child use a computer at home is great for research or paper writing. But many are not aware that we can use social media to enhance our teaching and benefit the understanding that the student take from our class. Social media is not the enemy or our competition if we use it correctly.
  • You can use mainstream social media, too.
    • Januari Evans
      Januari Evans on 10 Mar 14
       
      This line to me is the epitimy of what this semester is about. So many teachers are terrified of allowing students to be online. While I observe I see the faces of teachers who have been doing their job a long time, I think they believe that the computer is their competition. In reality the computer can be their biggest ally. I think most instructors know that having a child use a computer at home is great for research or paper writing. But many are not aware that we can use social media to enhance our teaching and benefit the understanding that the student take from our class. Social media is not the enemy or our competition if we use it correctly.
    • matt schill
      matt schill on 11 Mar 14
       
      Before this course, I would have been scared to let students use social media during class. You made a really good point that teachers should be utilizing the computer/technology/social media to enhance the learning process. I now understand how to utilize different social media apps and tools to engage students. (Matt Schill)
  • blogs
  • One form of writing is that powerful. If you guessed social media, you're right.
    • amy rouchon
      amy rouchon on 10 Mar 14
       
      Traditional writing it important in the classroom - paper and pencil. Students also learn the different types of writing (essays, research, letters) but with this generation, social media is a powerful and important writing tool. The students are familiar and use social media on a daily basis. Why not provide a secure environment where students can work on social media writing - learning abou the ettiquette, dos and don'ts as well as a supplemental tool to their writing portfolio.
  • amyhutmacher on 07 Mar 14
     
    I thought I shared my highlight and sticky note to our EDUC 775 page but I don't see it.... (AHutmacher)
Bernice De Jesus

8 Social Media Strategies for Your Classroom - Getting Smart by Adam Renfro - PLN, soci... - 7 views

gettingsmart.com/...ia-strategy-for-your-classroom

educ775 socialmedia web2.0 article

shared by Bernice De Jesus on 02 Nov 13 - No Cached
  • but social networking is here to stay.
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 20 Nov 13
       
      It's definitely here to stay so time to take 1 tool and make it work for you - help you connect to others, develop yourself professionally, etc.
    • nicolecartledge
      nicolecartledge on 22 Nov 13
       
      That is definitely true, we aren't going to regress only progress so we better get up to speed now of we will be left behind and out of touch with our students! Nicole Cartledge
    • Abigail Church
      Abigail Church on 23 Nov 13
       
      I was watching Jeopardy, and one of the contestants was a teacher that did not even own a phone. I thought to myself, how is he going to be able to teach these students how to be smart with their social media experiences if he does not even use them. While I understand the concept, I think it is best if we all just get with the program and understand that it is not going anywhere anytime soon. We should prepare ourselves to help our students be smart with social media instead of simply turning our heads.
    • Lauren Neary
      Lauren Neary on 24 Nov 13
       
      Social media is here to stay!  It love the concept of how education is changing to incorporate more social media in the classroom.  Not only is it an advantage for students learning, but it also helps teachers stay connected with one another and allows collaboration 24/7. -Lauren Neary
    • Cecilia Zapiec
      Cecilia Zapiec on 26 Nov 13
       
      I think that we have an opportunity here to use social media for good and to show naysayers how much of a positive impact social media can have when applied appropriately and thoughtfully. Even though it may feel overwhelming at times, we should try and incorporate social media when it is practical and beneficial. Ideally, schools would have all the necessary supplies so teachers can have ipads/computers at their disposal...one day
    • Daniel DiBona
      Daniel DiBona on 26 Nov 13
       
      Personally social media will be the next wave of teaching innovation. Especially if the surface commerical goes true. I don't know if anyone else has seen the teacher commerical for microsoft, but it talks about a classroom environoment where each student will learn using a tablet and not just the blackboard. So if this scenario where to come true, we will need social media more than ever.-Dan DiBona
    • Trina Ferringo
      Trina Ferringo on 27 Nov 13
       
      Social networking is not going anywear. We all, (children and adults) have grown comfortable with social media. I really do not see society drifting away from social media devices because of all the positive outcomes which come from utilizing it, especially in an educational setting.
    • Bernice De Jesus
      Bernice De Jesus on 03 Dec 13
       
      Yes, Social networking is here to stay and it getting more and more pleaced in the school system, so we as teachers have to make it a positive devices in the classroom. Great post.
  • Twitter
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 20 Nov 13
       
      I Twitter is the tool you'd like to "master", I suggest you look into the hashtags/chats I posted on our class website. You can attend these through Twitter and learn so much!
    • Bernice De Jesus
      Bernice De Jesus on 03 Dec 13
       
      Dr. Fritz, I did learn about twitter in this class, I would alway thing why do I want to tell others what I'm doing every min. of the day. After this class I see that you can learn alot of information on twitter, you can share places to research information pertaining to school, and class information. Again I'm so glad I was able to take this class to learn more about twitter, and I have been able to learn more about Linkedin as well. Great information. Bernice
  •  Flipping your classroom allows you to double your teaching capacity and extend the learning day for students.
    • emiblaser
      emiblaser on 21 Nov 13
       
      It is very interesting to see the concept of a flipped classroom here, as I just came across this article (http://www.edutopia.org/blog/biggest-hurdle-flipping-your-class-jon-bergmann) earlier this week. Filming lectures and creating videos allows students to access the information on their own later and gives you time and opportunity to work with students who need more help, as this quote states, and this is wonderful. The article I linked to argues that a truly flipped classroom takes this concept further and requires students to create the content for themselves and create their own learning. I think that including opportunities for both will be very helpful for both the students and for us. I wanted to find out more about what a "flipped" classroom really is, so I did some research and came across this article http://www.edutopia.org/blog/rethinking-the-flipped-classroom-idit-harel-caperton that I think gives a pretty good explanation of what it is and discusses the pros and cons of the "flipped model." This http://www.edutopia.org/blog/film-festival-flipped-classroom links to a playlist of videos in a sort of "film festival" of flipped classrooms. If you are interested in what all this is, check the links out, it helped explain it all for me! - Emi Blaser
    • nicolecartledge
      nicolecartledge on 22 Nov 13
       
      Thanks for the article. This is the first time I have heard of flipping the classroom but I absolutely see the benefit. I think the point you made about allowing the teacher time to give individual attention is a very big deal, especially in my field of special education. 'Doubling your teaching capacity' is an immeasurable help! Nicole Cartledge
    • Abigail Church
      Abigail Church on 23 Nov 13
       
      Something to remember as well is that flipped can work at any age. It does not have to be full teacher powerpoint lessons given for homework. This idea can be even for kindergarten level to get a head start on the learning process so when they come to school, they are prepared to do the hands-on learning part. Nicole, I would suggest looking more into this, as I use it in my student teaching classroom and it is amazing! Coming from a special education background originally, I think it would be extra beneficial to your field of study. Your students learn in a much different way, and anything that can help enhance their learning in order to reach those IEP goals is a big deal. While not many special education teachers like to give homework to their kids, I would suggest using it because you may see a great improvement in you mild/ moderate and learning impaired students!
    • emiblaser
      emiblaser on 23 Nov 13
       
      Abigail, great point about using it in even the youngest classrooms! I can see how it would be very beneficial for kids who are struggling and need to see a lesson again. I'd love to hear more about how you used it in K- what kinds of lessons did you do it with, how did you structure the time in class? Thanks! -Emi Blaser
    • nicolecartledge
      nicolecartledge on 23 Nov 13
       
      Thanks for the suggestion. Since I haven't had hands on with teaching in a special education classroom yet it only seemed like it would be very beneficial so I am encouraged to hear that you have seen results with mild to moderate category students. I am definitely incorporating this once I am in the classsroom. It really provideshelpful support before a lesson to activate learning, during to provide multple perspectives and free the teacher to further engage or explain, and after as a review. Thanks again. Nicole Cartledge
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • Twitter will be your social media workhorse. Use it to push out calendar notices, classroom tips, celebrations, links, polls, and the occasional personal message to remind followers you’re a human and not a bot. Encourage parents to follow, too.
    • Danielle Malone
      Danielle Malone on 21 Nov 13
       
      I love this idea! Before this class I struggled with the idea of having a twitter account for the classroom, but I had never really thought about how important it could be for parents, as well as children. I know a lot of people my age or slightly older that have kids and still depend on social media, twitter included, for daily news on just the things that interest them. How great would it be for those kinds of parents to follow the classroom twitter feed and just see information occasionally but still feel like they're a part of the classroom? I think that anytime we can get information out to parents without them actively thinking about it, it's a win, and that's certainly one of the possibilities with Twitter!
    • nicolecartledge
      nicolecartledge on 22 Nov 13
       
      I too think this is a great tool that teacher can utlize in the classroom both to engage students and inform parents. You can reach parent who might not be involded through more traditional routes and it is easy, like you mentioned. It is not something else they have to do since chances are they are already checking tweets, etc. they don't have to go to the class website or only rely on the papers that come home with their student to be involved and informed. Nicole Cartledge
    • emiblaser
      emiblaser on 23 Nov 13
       
      I agree with you both, that twitter can be a great tool to connect with parents in a new way. I am in elementary (kinder-first), so sometimes I don't see how a tool can be useful to me and my kiddos, but I don't always think about how it can help with parents. Like you both said, many parents are too busy to participate in their child's classroom in traditional ways, but by getting the news and keeping in touch in a way that they are already using, they can feel connected. I have been dragging my feet about really using the account I signed up for so long ago, and I think I am about ready to take the leap! -Emi Blaser
    • Cecilia Zapiec
      Cecilia Zapiec on 26 Nov 13
       
      Twitter could be one of the most useful social tools. I think if many parents are on twitter, it's a quick and easy way to keep parents up to date and make them feel more informed and involved. Something I will consider in the future...
  • Other teachers will follow and soon you will share video production duties. You can create those literary video lessons you love, and let the grammar nerd colleague down the hall create the “they’re-their-there” videos. You’ve tripled your capacity now!
    • nicolecartledge
      nicolecartledge on 22 Nov 13
       
      Okay, so this is the first I'd heard of 'flipping your classroom' but the concept seems both simple and practical. I like the idea of being prepared ahead of time and allowing for the chance to interject and respond to students during the presentation without loosing your train of thought. It can be viewed again by students who may need extra time to process it or who prefer to work outside of the classroom walls. The best part about this to me, if the library you can build by sharing. This does lighten the work load and allows teacher to really focus on their area of expertise. You still have the chance to add on and make it personal during presentation since you are facilitating it, what a great idea! I will be utilizing this.
    • nicolecartledge
      nicolecartledge on 22 Nov 13
       
      Sorry forgot to label it-Nicole Cartledge
    • emiblaser
      emiblaser on 23 Nov 13
       
      I think you made great points about the capacity of the videos to increase time and sharing between teachers. The school I am volunteering at right now has a server for teachers to access documents and ideas, and just today the teacher I am with grabbed a behavior plan template to tailor to two of her students. Sharing resources like this cuts down on prep time and keeps teachers from having to reinvent the wheel. I think it adding videos would be a wonderful addition! Also, if you had to be absent, you could prerecord lessons that the sub could use and supplement. - Emi Blaser
    • Rachael Herr
      Rachael Herr on 23 Nov 13
       
      Nicole your comment really made me think about the flipped classroom. The first time earlier this year when I had heard of it, I wasn't sure how I felt about the concept. I was worried about differentiation, and what kind of gaps there would be if students were solely required to watch the videos at home (and didn't). What you said about personalizing it during the presentation made me see how differentiation could still be possible, and the idea of having a library of lessons allows you to still give formative assessments and make changes where necessary. Thanks for your post! - Rachael Herr
  • Students who use Twitter to contribute to class discussion more than double their class contributions.
    • nicolecartledge
      nicolecartledge on 22 Nov 13
       
      That statistic in itself is staggering, it absolutely gives reason to utilize this type of input format. To increase participation and more importantly allow those who wouldn't have verbally spoken up to take part in the conversation is a wonderful and very desirable benefit. I think this should be incorporated whenever possible to allow different learning styles to comfortably express themselves. Nicole Cartledge
    • Rachael Herr
      Rachael Herr on 23 Nov 13
       
      Nicole I couldn't agree more. As teachers we have to find ways to engage and reach all of our students, to the best of our ability (and then some). Seeing how connected students are to media, and how many resources are out there to get educators started with using Twitter in the classroom, vibrant class discussions should now be something every class is experiencing. -- Rachael Herr
    • Abigail Church
      Abigail Church on 23 Nov 13
       
      Nicole, you have brought a good point about how other students communicate. Not all students want to sit in class and raise their hands to participate with the discussion. Many are shy or nervous, whether because of ESL or simple personality feelings. Something like Twitter in the classroom does help to reach the vast population and allow for all of our students to be a part of the discussion. Twitter is something I do not stay with very much, but it may be something- should I eventually choose to work with upper grades- that I join and add to my class participation.
    • Trina Ferringo
      Trina Ferringo on 23 Nov 13
       
      I agree it should be utilized in the classroom with students. Like you stated in can increase participation and the fact parents can follow what their children post allows the parent to be connected to what is happening inside the classroom.
    • Trina Ferringo
      Trina Ferringo on 23 Nov 13
       
      Again forgot my name...Trina Ferringo
    • Danielle Malone
      Danielle Malone on 25 Nov 13
       
      I'm going to throw my hat in and agree with you and everyone else - Twitter could absolutely become a way for shy students to feel comfortable participating in class. I think it can also go a step beyond that as well, and provide a way for students to sort of archive their participation and go back and re-read it later to help them study. Everything that's posted on Twitter goes into the public record, so categorizing everything with a simple hashtag makes the class conversation a virtual study guide. I love the idea of using it in class, and I hope it's something my future school supports as well! (Danielle Malone)
  • Simple, if you have your lessons on your computer anyhow (worksheets Powerpoints, etc), create a 5-minute videos with Jing (see below) that reviews and explains the material and post to SchoolTube or YouTube. Students can watch from home, in the hallway, or on the bus. If you show the videos in your own classroom, you can then facilitate your own instruction.
    • Abigail Church
      Abigail Church on 23 Nov 13
       
      I have worked on flipping a classroom with my CT and the results are amazing! We use brainpopjr.com to help enhance social studies and science learning in our 2nd grade classroom and the students come in already prepared to do the hands on learning part. The "lesson" part is finished when they watch the video or powerpoint. The class time can then be used to do hands on learning. For science, I am in a STEAM room, so we do investigations with our time. We have also used videos in the classroom from time to time. I did this for my second video lesson and I think it went really well as well. There is simply so much to say, and it is so easily said with some of these strategies!
    • William Masters
      William Masters on 24 Nov 13
       
      I think sometimes people view the flipped classroom as something only for older students. These are great examples for flipping a classroom with younger grades. Thanks for sharing them. I have done the same with Brain Pop for my students. If you have a wiki or a blog you can also link to YouTube videos or other online content. It gives you a lot more time to work with the content if it can front loaded out of class. Clark Masters 
    • Daniel DiBona
      Daniel DiBona on 26 Nov 13
       
      I think with the brainpop videos it is great that they are short and sweet. That holds the students attention at any grade level like Clark said, but especially with the younger students. Too short of a video and you are just wasting their time moving them back and forth. Too long a video and you could lose your students so glad you have had a good experience with it. - Dan DiBona
    • Trina Ferringo
      Trina Ferringo on 27 Nov 13
       
      I have seen Brain Pop used in both Language Arts and a Math class. When the teacher said we are going to watch a Brain Pop video, the students became enthusiastic. What I also noticed, is when the video was playing, they actually payed attention. You could see, these short, but useful videos, assisted with students understanding the lesson more and they also found enjoyment in learning.
    • Jingyun He
      Jingyun He on 27 Nov 13
       
      This way of teaching is very useful to those who have struggling in learning since they can watch vidoes at home to learn more. They can watch and listen to the same lesson that they did in school. Then doing so can help them learn.
  • If you’ve not already done so, create a Facebook Page to connect with students. This is a good place to celebrate students and their successes.
    • Trina Ferringo
      Trina Ferringo on 23 Nov 13
       
      Even though Facebook should not be used on a personal level to connect with students it would be a great social media device to use with student on an educational level ,with focusing not necessarily on instruction all the time, but on caring. Students can support one another in a postive environment with an educator overseeing it. Also, teachers can support their students through encouraging comments and posts.
    • Trina Ferringo
      Trina Ferringo on 23 Nov 13
       
      Forgot to place my name on comment....Trina Ferringo
    • nicolecartledge
      nicolecartledge on 25 Nov 13
       
      That is a big part of supporting students and I think Facebook can be a tool that can effectively do just that. It can be utilized to help the students with educational related concerns, as well as to dissiminate informaiton, and it shows the teacher is available for support as well as utilizing the support of classmates through these media tools. Nicole Cartledge
    • Daniel DiBona
      Daniel DiBona on 26 Nov 13
       
      Facebook and other social media sites are a great way for those students who are absent to really still connect with the teacher and the other students. By building a group on one of those sites as a teacher you as the teacher can help the students set up at home study groups and build their online PLNs.-Dan DiBona
    • Bernice De Jesus
      Bernice De Jesus on 03 Dec 13
       
      Yes I do like facebook as a leaning tools, but we have to keep it just that way, a learning tools. Many teacher and students have to keep it very professional so all that use facebook are protected. Great post Bernice De Jesus
  • Do you need both Twitter and Facebook in your social media strategy? No, set the bar on what you can handle in terms of time and effort. Measure your Return on Investment (ROI) with each.
    • Daniel DiBona
      Daniel DiBona on 24 Nov 13
       
      I wanted to comment on this statement because as a new teacher I still am a bit overwhelmed with all of the new options available to me. So I am glad that those who are setting up these sites are still suggesting to work to our own comfort level. Those questions are very helpful in figuring out what I need to do to make sure the students are using the programs correctly. I also liked the point after the highlight I made was that you don't have to use these sites because there are so many other options, but since most of our students will already be on these sites, the transitions in the class are a lot quicker and a lot simpler to set up.
    • Rachael Herr
      Rachael Herr on 24 Nov 13
       
      I think looking at social media in education in terms of your ROI is really smart. I agree with your comment, Dan, on working to your own comfort level, especially when there are so many available resources out there. I think for new teachers (as well as teachers new to using social media in their instruction) having this mindset is important to keep things in perspective. -- Rachael Herr
  • Engagement is another important reason to use social networking. We know that a student who is engaged with content will learn better.  The more we can make schools seem like the world that exists outside of the 8a.m.-to-3:30p.m. confines, the better.
    • Bernice De Jesus
      Bernice De Jesus on 03 Dec 13
       
      I can attest that students who are fully egaged in social media networking as part of their total learning experience, in many cases, learn better through this out-of-classroom experience. They are more eager to partake in constructive discussions with their peers by way of a method that they are accustomed to. Prior to taking this course, I was unaware of the all the ways that social media could be utilized within the classroom to enhance learning.
ecameron4

How this STEM school is shattering stereotypes - 0 views

money.cnn.com/...index.html

STEM

shared by ecameron4 on 11 Feb 16 - No Cached
  • ecameron4 on 11 Feb 16
     
    This school looks really interesting! "The Los Angeles school took an out-of-the-box approach for a specific reason: All of its students have a learning challenge, like autism-spectrum disorder, Asperger's and ADHD." "The students are especially gifted in subjects like math and science, but have fallen behind in their social and communication skills. (The curriculum also includes traditional subjects like English, art and language.)" ^^This makes me SO SAD that Social Studies isn't in their curriculum because social studies help people learn how to live in the world, be good citizens and learn important material like how the government works and what their rights are as citizens. They could also learn about the behavior sciences and possibly understand themselves better in the process. What do you think?
James Hughes

Learn Coding for Elementary Students - 0 views

code.org/learn

educ775 coding elementary bloom's digital taxonomy

shared by James Hughes on 24 Jan 15 - No Cached
  • James Hughes on 24 Jan 15
     
    Anyone can learn the basic concepts of Computer Science! Intro activities for young students to begin learning program coding in a fun way. Computer games that hone technology skills and critical thinking.
mkm420fritz

6 Ways Google Docs Supports Collaboration In The Writing Process - 2 views

www.teachthought.com/...oration-in-the-writing-process

shared by mkm420fritz on 05 Mar 14 - No Cached
    • Chris Andrianos
      Chris Andrianos on 05 Mar 14
       
      The freedom to connect and contribute while on the go allows the learner to be engaged all the time. Just this past week we all have used this tool and I will agree that I was eager to revisit my notes and others to observe and participate in the conversation.
    • Chris Andrianos
      Chris Andrianos on 05 Mar 14
       
      Thanks Chris Andrianos
  • Track contributions made by collaborators or identify the source of changes made to the content of a document. It’s easy to see what each individual student contributes to a document because Google Docs assigns every contributor a unique color.
    • Chris Andrianos
      Chris Andrianos on 05 Mar 14
       
      Our group project used the same approach by assigning a color to each persons comments so that the dialog could be followed clearly. I find the auto save feature within Google docs, common for todays technology but very helpful because it is one less worry when writing and you have the trust of Google cloud. Thanks Chris Andrianos
    • Rich Bailey
      Rich Bailey on 05 Mar 14
       
      Good point Chris, if I had a dime for every time I made edits to our group Wiki and forgot to save, I'd have a nice little paycheck.  Wiki's seem to be the more basic of the tools available to us but effective nonetheless.
  • ...23 more annotations...
    • Rich Bailey
      Rich Bailey on 05 Mar 14
       
      This quote really sums up what technology's affect on teaching has been.  Although it is great for students and for teachers alike, there is still an adaptation that has to occur for it to be successful.
    • Rich Bailey
      Rich Bailey on 05 Mar 14
       
      "The very notion of what it means to write is shifting, and educators are faced with adapting their teaching practices to integrate new technologies while redefining writing and learning for the 21st century."- Rich Bailey
    • Sara Jugan Vinskofski
      Sara Jugan Vinskofski on 10 Mar 14
       
      While I find this statement to bevery true it reminds me of cursive writing or handwriting. I have heard that it will soon no long be part of schools curriculums. How much so we change and leave in the past?
  • The very notion of what it means to write is shifting, and educators are faced with adapting their teaching practices to integrate new technologies while redefining writing and learning for the 21st century.”
  • The very notion of what it means to write is shifting, and educators are faced with adapting their teaching practices to integrate new technologies while redefining writing and learning for the 21st century.”
  • The very notion of what it means to write is shifting, and educators are faced with adapting their teaching practices to integrate new technologies while redefining writing and learning for the 21st century.”
  • The very notion of what it means to write is shifting, and educators are faced with adapting their teaching practices to integrate new technologies while redefining writing and learning for the 21st century.”
  • The very notion of what it means to write is shifting, and educators are faced with adapting their teaching practices to integrate new technologies while redefining writing and learning for the 21st century.”
  • While students are writing drafts, teachers take advantage of opportunities to work with small instructional groups to focus on specific job-related writing tasks to prepare students to put their new skills to work and contribute to the peer editing process. Here is an overview of some of the integrated writing supports available in Google Docs to include in small group instruction to that will empower students and help redefine the writing process.
    • Rich Bailey
      Rich Bailey on 05 Mar 14
       
      Hmm well this is something I don't think I've ever used for school.  I have used Google Docs to post documents that I needed others to add information to (i.e. grocery lists, etc.) however in terms of peer editing, it never crossed my mind.  This article comes at a great time where I am in the midst of two group final projects, and being a student mentor for three capstone students, sharing some documents in Google Docs would make my proof reading duties much easier... Also, this highlight and sticky note tool is awesome for editing- it reminds me of Track Changes in Word but without having to fight with Word ;)
    • Rich Bailey
      Rich Bailey on 05 Mar 14
       
      (not sure if I need to include my name for the previous post as it looks like it posts my name, but just in case.) Rich Bailey
    • caldwell14
      caldwell14 on 07 Mar 14
       
      I definitely can see the merits of Google Docs for peer editing. I had a brief experience with this while doing a long-term sub in 8th grade literacy and the teacher had students posting comments to shared documents. Of course, this is easier said than done with large groups of students, but I did find it to be effective and a huge time-saver. It was nice not to have 29 hard copies to sort through with people forgetting to put their names on their comments. When you're logged into the Google drive, you are held accountable for your work automatically so it makes grading and keeping students on task quite easy! (Sarah Caldwell)
    • Brielle Hart
      Brielle Hart on 12 Mar 14
       
      My final project group has been using Google Docs extensively. We are collaborating with eachother on a lesson plan document while also editing eachothers additional documents such as the AUP. It has really worked out well and I too enjoy editing on Google docs much more than fighting with Word Rich! -Brielle
  • they are more likely to revisit their work if they know someone else will be commenting on it
    • Laura Acker
      Laura Acker on 06 Mar 14
       
      This reminds me of an article I read for another class which talked about students involved in writing outside the classroom in an online affinity space. They would review each other's writings and the students couldn't wait to get out of school so they could go home and write online where others would see it.
    • Januari Evans
      Januari Evans on 07 Mar 14
       
      I was going to highlight this line then saw that you did too. What a neat tool this is! (sorry had to get that out there). but I have to agree, students love to see other people commenting/remarking/suggesting etc. on their work. I think social media really brought this into light. It provides the immediate feedback they crave. I also like that they can work from home or school. Some students work better in the classroom while others work better from home. Some remember something important to add to their doc on the way home or when they are not in class. What is nice is that they can add to the doc without having to wait to go back to class. Another upside is that the student can work on the doc at school even if they 'forgot' their homework. No more excuses for them. Although they might find this as a downside!
    • Michelle Macheras
      Michelle Macheras on 07 Mar 14
       
      I was also going to highlight this idea. I actually had a student come up to me the other day and ask if I could provide more opportunities for students to come to the board and solve difficult problems. For her, the pressure (for lack of a better word) that is applied when she has to perform in front of other people as opposed to working by herself or even in groups leads her to learn the material quicker. I think this is similar to the idea of students revisiting their work when they know that others will be regularly viewing and commenting on it. Students will be curious to see what others have to say about what they have created, but they will also have additional motivation to present their best work since they know it will be available for their peers to view. The 24/7 availability also means that the students can take the time to work on the assignment whenever they want as instead of being limited to assigned working times during class.
    • lindsaywarburton
      lindsaywarburton on 08 Mar 14
       
      I was going to highlight this quote, but saw that several of you already did! I like that students can revisit their work and revise it in order to prepare for classmates or teachers to see and comment on it. Something I have been trying to work on with my first graders is accountability; when they are writing during writing workshop, I remind them that their work is going to be shared. I think doing so encourages them to write a little bit more, reread more often, and check for mistakes. 
    • E.J. Sexton
      E.J. Sexton on 08 Mar 14
       
      The use of portfolios are always emphasized as a great tool for both learning and assessment. Revisiting your work over and over again to identify areas that could be improved is one of the benefits of a portfolio. In this regard, Google Docs could be used for Online Portfolios, but I'm sure that's obvious.
    • caldwell14
      caldwell14 on 10 Mar 14
       
      As someone with limited classroom experience with Google Docs, I can champion how great it is that there is "nowhere to hide" with this technology. You've either logged in and done the assignment or you haven't so it makes grading super easy! (Sarah Caldwell)
    • Rich Bailey
      Rich Bailey on 10 Mar 14
       
      I really couldn't agree more and I am quite guilty of it.  I think that's why when I have a class with a discussion board or VoiceThread that I like to post early to give others time to comment on my work.  This to me is because I love learning of others perspectives and experiences.  I think the same goes for work that is posted for others to view, it inherently holds you more accountable for your work, which to me seems would yield a better quality of work... (Rich Bailey)
    • Sara Jugan Vinskofski
      Sara Jugan Vinskofski on 10 Mar 14
       
      I think that we have all been gulity of this. When we know our work will be graded, judged, or share with others we tend to put more effort into it. So I think this rings true.
  • A context-sensitive grammar checker can distinguish between words like “too” and “to” in a sentence and make appropriate suggestions for corrections. While Word uses color coding to make distinctions between spelling and grammar errors, Google sticks with one color, but the suggestion box offers smart and appropriate suggestions.
    • Sara Jugan Vinskofski
      Sara Jugan Vinskofski on 08 Mar 14
       
      While I think this is a great tool I don't think we should let this replace our children's ability to spell and having knowledge of proper English (SJVinskofski)
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 09 Mar 14
       
      I don't agree with spell check b/c often it replaces a word with the wrong word.....Nothing beats old fashioned reading/editing/revising!
    • lindsaywarburton
      lindsaywarburton on 09 Mar 14
       
      I agree Sara. I feel that revising and editing is one of the most important parts of the writing process. While it certainly can be challenging to teach younger children (I am student teaching in first grade) how to reread and make corrections, I absolutely see the value in learning how to revise one's work to make it even better! I am currently in the stages of teaching how to revise personal narratives during writing workshop; for some students, it can be a challenge, but I also see that all of the students do benefit.
  • Perhaps the most impressive Google Docs writing support to date is an integrated research tool that’s available right on the page. A basic search yields results relevant to the document and displays a variety of types of information beyond text  Useful content-specific buttons allow users to insert links, images,  maps, and citations into a document with the click of a button. Users can narrow a search to find only images, scholarly information and quotations. This powerful research tool provides students with convenient access to information in manageable chunks that are ready for use.
    • Derek Hughes
      Derek Hughes on 08 Mar 14
       
      I have used Google Docs before to collaborate on work, but I never realized how easy it was to do a search and incorporate that information into the document. I think this would be a great way to have students do a group research assignment. They wouldn't have to be together to discuss research and its so easy to do the research along with the document. This, coupled with the real-time editing and feedback mentioned above, would be an amazing collaborative experience for students.
    • awharris0528
      awharris0528 on 09 Mar 14
       
      The "Research" feature is something that is new to me. How amazing is it that I can keep everything pertaining to my Google Doc organized and right in front of me? This would also very very useful to students, who sometimes have a harder time keeping themselves organized. I can see this tool also being useful because it would mean that students using the Google Doc page to collaborate can ensure that they are looking at the same research to gather information. (Audra Harris) 
    • lindsaywarburton
      lindsaywarburton on 09 Mar 14
       
      I am still pretty new to using Google Docs. I had no idea of the extensive capabilities! I think it is really helpful to be able to use the research tool, and likewise to insert links, images, citations, etc. I find that most Google-related things are user-friendly, and Google Docs fits right in. Additionally as Audra noted, the "research" feature helps both teachers and students to stay organized.
    • Stephanie Mann Harvard
      Stephanie Mann Harvard on 11 Mar 14
       
      I think that in this digital age it is essential that students be able to navigate through the massive amount of information that 21st Century technology gives them access to. Further the American Library Association (ALA) defines information literacy as the skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze and use information. The Google Docs research tool helps students develop those skills. Students don't have to waste time searching through useless data from questionable or unreliable sources but are instead able to access relevant data effectively and efficiently. As a social media tool this allows students to collaborate more effectively. They have access to research & information that is available and organized in a way that helps develop understanding as well as helps them construct documents, projects, etc. so that others can learn with and from them. - Stephanie Mann Harvard
  • Since Docs are stored online, students can work at school and at home from any computer with an Internet connection
    • lindsaywarburton
      lindsaywarburton on 08 Mar 14
       
      I really like that Google Docs are so accessible to students. One of the most important factors in successful collaboration is that all members of a collaborative group have equal access and resources to share, in my opinion. Therefore, the ability to access Google Docs allows both students and teachers to access a writing sample or assignment at any time. Some students may not have internet access or a computer at home, but being able to access their work in school or at the library(or any other computer with internet) can be pretty helpful. My group and I used Google Docs to work on our project; I really liked being able to work at the same time with the other members, see what they were commenting on my work, and also being able to give immediate feedback. Google Docs has been an essential collaboration tool for our group! Lindsay Warburton
    • awharris0528
      awharris0528 on 09 Mar 14
       
      This brings up a point that I had not considered for students (which is silly really). In the lesson plan I am working on for my group project, I am having the students collaborate on Google Docs, but I had intended them to work on it at school. While it is very obvious that students can access Google Docs 24/7, it was just something I hadn't thought of. I would also like to touch on the highlight immediately following this one, which states, "they are more likely to revisit their work if they know someone else will be commenting on it." This is so true, and very important to note, especially because the students peers will be viewing the work. Students don't always care that their teacher will be viewing their work (especially in middle school, which is the age group my group is targeting) but if your assignment includes showing that work to their peers, suddenly the importance of the assignment goes to a whole new level. I truly believe that Google Docs can help excite and entice students to perform well and to use innovation and imagination with their assignments.  (Audra Harris)
    • Stephanie Mann Harvard
      Stephanie Mann Harvard on 12 Mar 14
       
      I must admit that I was initially slow to get excited about Google Docs primarily because I found myself comparing the functionality to that of Microsoft Office applications. Once I realized that the Google Docs construct was not to create another suite of applications to support productivity, and began to appreciate it as a set of tools for collaborative learning I became excited. As a result this quote emphasizes Google Docs use as a social media tool for teaching and learning. In addition to students being able to access their work from school or home, it also provides a vehicle for instructor feedback, peer edits and reviews and collaboration. Another benefit to Google Docs is that documents can be in multiple formats such as presentations, spreadsheets, etc. - Stephanie Mann Harvard
  • A built in smart spell-checking system that uses the Google Search helps students to easily identify spelling and simple grammar errors as they type.
    • E.J. Sexton
      E.J. Sexton on 08 Mar 14
       
      This would be beneficial for English as a Second Language (ESL) students. One of the strategies we learned for aiding ESL students in their writing is the use of technology that will correct mistakes as they are made instead of after the fact, as is often the case in hand-written assignments.
    • caldwell14
      caldwell14 on 10 Mar 14
       
      That's a great point about ESL/ELL students - I have several in my integrated classes this quarter and writing is a real challenge for them so any tool to alleviate that stress would be welcome/beneficial. (Sarah Caldwell)
  • Provide students with a starting point for digital writing and take advantage of a virtual copy machine by creating templates.
    • E.J. Sexton
      E.J. Sexton on 08 Mar 14
       
      I think that teachers probably underestimate the value of templates. For example, think of research papers that use APA or MLA style. Templates would be a great resource to show students what the document needs to look like, as well as give them clues on how to format the document on their own. (Plus, it saves time!)
    • lindsaywarburton
      lindsaywarburton on 09 Mar 14
       
      I feel that modeling is a really important part of every lesson. If we expect students' work to look a certain way, we should show them exactly what we expect. Templates are definitely a great resource, specifically for helping teachers model what they want a student's work to look like and for giving students a starting point.
    • caldwell14
      caldwell14 on 10 Mar 14
       
      Agreed. I realized quickly that my freshmen had never written a compare/contrast essay before so I literally had to take two class days and break down expectations for them. It was time consuming but worthwhile. If something like Google docs or a similar program were to have built-in essay templates in the future, I would jump at the chance to use them! (Sarah Caldwell)
  • Use the revision history to review, compare, or revert to a prior version of the document at any time.
    • Samantha Carrabba
      Samantha Carrabba on 08 Mar 14
       
      The ability to go back and review old versions of a document is a great tool. I have often made revision, changed my mind and decided that I liked what I wrote earlier much better than the new version. This ability to look back and see the revisions you have made gives you time to critically think about your writing and think about the changes you have made. S. Carrabba
    • lindsaywarburton
      lindsaywarburton on 09 Mar 14
       
      I can think of plenty of times when I needed the revision history tool! As you said, I have often made changes to something I was working on, but then later realized that my first draft was better. Unfortunately, Word and other programs do not save our revision history! The Google Docs capability to go back and review a prior version of my work will definitely come in handy!
  • In addition, Docs provide support for collaboration in real time so students and teachers can have a virtual mini-conference about the work in front of them from any location if the timing is right.
    • Aaron Bilby
      Aaron Bilby on 09 Mar 14
       
      I am having my students create an Erosion presentation this week in my classroom. The students are allowed to use laptop computers provided by the school in my classroom. However, I am not allowing my students to move around the classroom into their groups. I am making my students use the chat function in Google to communicate to each other as they complete their presentation. I am very interested to see how well it works!
    • Januari Evans
      Januari Evans on 12 Mar 14
       
      this sounds very interesting. Please let us know how that works out. I am sure they love using the chat function. It is like texting in class! Great use of technology in the classroom. They are learning science and computer at the same time!
  • Google’s online spell-checking service is more comprehensive than a typical dictionary because the Googlebot constantly crawls the web for new and popular definitions.
    • Aaron Bilby
      Aaron Bilby on 09 Mar 14
       
      This is a great resource. One of the things that I have noticed with my students is that they struggle with spelling. Since Google has an excellent spell checker, I have noticed very few mistakes on documents that my students create on Google.  
    • Samantha Carrabba
      Samantha Carrabba on 12 Mar 14
       
      My daughter would love this feature as she struggles with spelling. I would hope that she doesn't rely on it too much and that she practices and improves her spelling skills. I think it is a good feature but students still need to practice editing their own spelling mistakes so that they can learn from them.
  • Continuous autosave to the “Google Cloud” virtually eliminates saving issues
    • Aaron Bilby
      Aaron Bilby on 09 Mar 14
       
      Another lifesaver in the classroom. How many times do students create projects on a computer and then go to the teacher and say "my project never saved"? With auto-saving, there are no worries that a project won't save and students can't use the excuse anymore that their project did not save either! 
  • students feel a sense of accomplishment as they work their way through the suggestions of their peers
    • Brielle Hart
      Brielle Hart on 12 Mar 14
       
      This sense of accomplishment is so important for student writing! Particularly in the elementary classrooms where writing can at times be very tedious and frustrating for students since they are still learning basic skills. In my classroom students are almost done with their big informational writing piece in which they researched a President and wrote a 2 paragraph informational report. These 2 paragraphs have taken us almost a month to complete and we are finally in the typing stage. I have noticed the students ADORE editing their work on the computer and the biggest smiles fill their faces when they can finally print their work!
    • Erika Brooks
      Erika Brooks on 13 Mar 14
       
      This is the greatest thing ever! I tend to work on my projects/ assignments really late at night and by the time I finsih, I close it without saving and then the horrible feeling comes over you. I cant tell you how many times I was in tears because I didnt save something that was over 3 pages. Im happy that my students dont have to go through the same pain we went through growing up in the old days.  Erika Brooks
  • ates saving issue
  • Continuous autosave to the “Google Cloud” virtually eliminates saving issues
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 17 Mar 14
       
      test
  • Chris Andrianos on 10 Mar 14
     
    I know that the Google online spell checker is more developed than a word spell check but I believe the best check is done by the writer. I also love the auto save to the cloud lowering the chance to have lost your work.
pilar_fradin

Keeping up with social media--in 30 minutes a day (you heard me!) | - 60 views

www.arikhanson.com/...-30-minutes-a-day-you-heard-me

shared by pilar_fradin on 03 Mar 15 - No Cached
  • Keeping up with social media–in 30 minutes a day (you heard me!
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 03 Mar 15
       
      This presentation is from 2012; however, it has a lot of great information that I feel will really help you organize your PLN. Here is the updated presentation that corresponds with this article: http://www.slideshare.net/arikhanson/how-to-keep-up-with-social-media-in-30-minutes-a-day-of-less
  • but most folks use Google Reader. You can use either.
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 05 Mar 15
       
      Google Reader is no longer in service:(. I really miss this tool; however, feedly is a great too to use.
    • shannon_alvarez
      shannon_alvarez on 03 Mar 16
       
      What? Google has everything! ;) Has this been replaced by Google+?
    • rjs387
      rjs387 on 05 Mar 15
       
      I have has such a hard time organizing the influx of blogs that Feebly will probably be the best tool I've learned about. It is a great way to organize and scan the titles of articles and posts I want to read. Rudalia Sutton
  • ...58 more annotations...
    • tghaznavi
      tghaznavi on 05 Mar 15
       
      Cadmus is a great tool to maximize downtime.  It displays content on Twitter since you last checked in.  It manages Twitter streams and takes replies in Twitter and groups them into "conversations". (t. Ghaznavi)
    • rjs387
      rjs387 on 09 Mar 15
       
      I am new to twitter how do you use Cadmus? Is it something I have to download? Rudalia Sutton
  • Use tools like Flipboard, Reeder (iPhone app) and Cadmus (great tool for catching up with what you missed on Twitter since you last signed in–see below) to keep on top of industry trends and business news.
    • charles stuart
      charles stuart on 23 Nov 15
       
      Sorry, didn't add my name:   Charles E. Stuart
  • Twitter lists to follow industry thought leaders. Twitter lists to follow bloggers you want to get to know better. You can even create private Twitter lists to follow competitors, industry influencers and other folks you don’t want your competitors or others seeing. What’s more, you can steal OTHER PEOPLE’S Twitter lists for you own. That’s right–why do all the work when someone else may have already done it.
    • Cheryl Hornyak
      Cheryl Hornyak on 05 Mar 15
       
      I think this is a great idea. The steps to do this are here:https://media.twitter.com/best-practice/create-and-use-twitter-lists. As a Twitter user, I really like the idea of condensing and filtering information to be more tailored to my likes and needs.
    • jessclay
      jessclay on 08 Mar 15
       
      I love this idea! I want to use twitter for professional reasons, but I also want to be able to follow my personal interests. This would allow me to do both! I can focus on education topics when I need to without getting distracted by other news and vice versa. I have a tendency to follow any interesting leads I see so this will help keep me focused.
    • Cheryl Hornyak
      Cheryl Hornyak on 09 Mar 15
       
      I forgot to post my name on the first sticky note. C. Hornyak
    • brittaniberg
      brittaniberg on 09 Mar 15
       
      After starting this class I recently joined Twitter so I am still learning all the ins and outs that Twitter offers.  This is a cool feature that can come in handy and help limit the amount of time spent on Twitter looking for new posts by who you follow. B.Berg 
    • rjs387
      rjs387 on 09 Mar 15
       
      I am new to twitter but I will be sure to try out this technique. I am always afraid that I'll get on and get sucked in and never get any work done. So it's nice to know that I can be productive in what I read. Rudalia Sutton
    • mrslynn1321
      mrslynn1321 on 21 Nov 15
       
      This sounds like a great way to organize what I want to see on Twitter.  Since I am still new to Twitter, I am still overwhelmed with all of the information.  Is there an education list out there?
    • mrslynn1321
      mrslynn1321 on 21 Nov 15
       
      Dawn Lynn-forgot my name
    • jpb342
      jpb342 on 22 Nov 15
       
      I never even knew Twitter Lists even were a thing; however, I can definitely see the usefulness of them.  They can give you a way to section off your follows and focus on different parts at a time instead of everyone at once. (John Bugay)
    • ryanjburks
      ryanjburks on 23 Nov 15
       
      Twitter lists are wonderful! I've taken advantage of this tool in my personal life and I can see the beauty of using this in the professional life as well. Thanks for highlighting this!-Ryan Burks
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 24 Nov 15
       
      Dawn - yes, there are lists. There are also lists of twitter chats. If you google "educational twitter chat", you'll find them!
    • samanthaelaine
      samanthaelaine on 04 Mar 16
       
      This is such a good feature. It gives us the oppertunity to follow people we personally want to follow and people we follow for our careers. I would personally like this because my sister is in college and is at the age of 20. She was the one who introduced me to twitter in the first place. S Ruggiero
    • cas3238
      cas3238 on 04 Mar 16
       
      I love the idea of being able to steal other users twitter lists. Why reinvent the wheel, when someone else has already created a sufficient list. C. Spina
    • cas3238
      cas3238 on 04 Mar 16
       
      It is great that you can use other users lists. It makes it much easier to find people to follow. It also reduces the time spent to find the right people to follow. C. Spina
  • think about the time you’re captive, where you have nothing to do but the task at hand. For me, it’s moving the lawn. I throw in the ear buds and spend 45 minutes mowing the lawn AND listening to my favorite podcast (and thus, getting smarter about my craft).
    • Lauren Rose
      Lauren Rose on 06 Mar 15
       
      Prior to using Podcasts, I would either use music or nothing at all during exercise time, cooking, or other activities that I can focus on something else while doing. By integrating listening to podcasts into these times, I have upped my productivity and am able to use relevant podcasts to learn more about information I am interested in. When I first saw podcasts and how lengthy many of them are, it can feel overwhelming to sit down and listen to a 30-60 minute "talk". However, if you use them while doing other activities (during cooking or long drives is my favorite) you can get what you need done while being informed. My favorite podcasts range from entertainment (Serial) to informative for teachers (TED Talks, EdReach). - Lauren Rose
    • nmlynski
      nmlynski on 06 Mar 15
       
      I recently just started to listen to podcasts while I work out, and it has been a total game-changer. I stay on the treadmill longer because I'm interested in what I'm hearing, and I'm learning something new at the same time. Definitely a good way to multi-task. (N. Mlynski)
    • Cheryl Hornyak
      Cheryl Hornyak on 07 Mar 15
       
      I have never thought of listening to anything but music while I run. I'm going to give this a try. Thanks for the tips!
    • tscott34
      tscott34 on 08 Mar 15
       
      My husband has a long commute (50 minutes) and uses the time to listen to his favorite podcasts.  He finds it calming when dealing with traffic and more interesting than morning radio!  Tonya Scott
    • maria onorato
      maria onorato on 08 Mar 15
       
      This is a good idea. I never thought to listen to podcast while mowing my lawn, or maybe even doing laundry. After reading this article, I have come to realize that we can use our technology at all different times of the day. Maria Onorato
    • slm389
      slm389 on 09 Mar 15
       
      My husband is very efficient in this strategy.  He listens to podcasts anytime he is doing housework and home alone.  I wish that I had the motivation to do this as well because it is a great time saver! -S. Goodyear
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 09 Mar 15
       
      You can subscribe to podcasts and the newest version will automatically pop up in your feed! -Dr. Fritz
    • ilanaaviva
      ilanaaviva on 11 Mar 15
       
      I think that this is a very good way to efficiently use time in a way that allows you to multitask. I think commuting is a great opportunity to listen to information through podcasts. I find that a lot of the time when I could be listening to informational programs, I am doing a lot of reflection and mental preparation. While I do not think that this is a bad thing, I could make more conscious efforts to put my ear plugs in. - Ilana Haas
    • meridithhayden
      meridithhayden on 15 Mar 15
       
      I agree, podcasts are a productivity game changer!  Since beginning this course, I've started listening to TED Talks a few mornings a week  during my commute.  I would have guessed I would not enjoy listening while I run, but turns out I do! --Meridith Hayden
    • Kelly VandenBosche
      Kelly VandenBosche on 04 Mar 16
       
      I would listen to podcasts in the car (just about my only downtime chore where I am not already multitasking), but my car is not new enough to have bluetooth or any other means to listen to a podcast, and headphones are illegal in the car.
    • cas3238
      cas3238 on 04 Mar 16
       
      I have listened to many Podcasts. I have used them to educate myself in numerous subjects. The benefit of Podcasts is you can multi-task and still listen and absorb the information. C. Spina
    • cas3238
      cas3238 on 04 Mar 16
       
      I listen to Podcasts very often. I have educated myself on numerous topics by listening to Podcasts. I love that you can listen to Podcasts and multi-task. C. Spina
  • Why should I reinvent the wheel? Heather already has all the spokes in place. Or, what about Social Media Examiner’s weekly roundup? Or, what about Sarah Evans’ daily Commentz enewsletter? One of the few enewsletter I read on a regular basis. Don’t do all the work yourself–seek out those sources that already exist and use that information to your advantage.
    • nmlynski
      nmlynski on 06 Mar 15
       
      This is something that is really important to remember when you start to feel overwhelmed by social media. Other people are out there searching for and curating the same resources that you want, use them as allies in the fight against wasted time. (N. Mlynski)
    • maria onorato
      maria onorato on 06 Mar 15
       
      I love this idea of seeking out sources that already exist. It will save you a lot of time.
    • tscott34
      tscott34 on 08 Mar 15
       
      You don't need to reinvent the wheel!!  I hear this all the time in reference to lesson planning, too. Tonya Scott
    • jessclay
      jessclay on 08 Mar 15
       
      This is such a useful idea, especially when you are gathering information on a new topic. It can be hard to sort and tell a resources worth if you aren't an expert. This idea allows you to filter out the resources that aren't worth your time and hone in on the really good ideas. J.Clay
    • ilanaaviva
      ilanaaviva on 11 Mar 15
       
      In general, I really like this idea of saving time and being efficient through the use of social media, including sharing the resources that another has already created. I think that is a big aspect of social media: we use it in order to assist one another and collaborate through shared ideas. - Ilana Haas
    • charles stuart
      charles stuart on 23 Nov 15
       
      My thoughts are the same, don't reinvent the wheel, take it and improve on it, or adjust it to meet your needs..
    • cmcguigan91
      cmcguigan91 on 05 Mar 16
       
      I think that it is very important for us to realize that it is not necessary to "reinvent the wheel." This can save a lot of time browsing through blogs. By finding a blog that compiles a list of top posts for the week we are able to be more efficient and have more time to read and expand our knowledge and ideas. The internet and blogs are created to help share our ideas and finds with others who share the same interests and we should take advantage of these trusty sources when we can! -Carissa McGuigan
  • organize my blogs by geography (MN blogs), discipline (PR, social media, mobile), clients (industry blogs) and other miscellaneous categories (fun, business blogs, etc.).
    • maria onorato
      maria onorato on 06 Mar 15
       
      This is a great way to keep organized. It would be so much easier and quicker to find things you are looking for. I'm going to have to give this a try myself.
    • maria onorato
      maria onorato on 06 Mar 15
       
      Maria Onorato
    • tscott34
      tscott34 on 08 Mar 15
       
      I have been using Feedly and it is a great way to organize webpages, blogs, newspapers or organizations that I like to look at often.  However, I can't imagine actually only spending 15 minutes on there!!  Maybe I need to narrow down my scope a bit.  But I find that I will log-in and then spend an hour or two without realizing it!  Tonya Scott
    • jessqross
      jessqross on 22 Nov 15
       
      I know this piece resonated with me as I initially stated in the beginning of this course that I never had time to really manage my social media outlets when it came to posting and engaging on my music FB, twitter as well as my nonprofit. This gives a good way to manage them without feeling overwhelmed, more so not feeling like I don't have the time to manage them with my busy day to day schedule. -Jess Ross
    • jpb342
      jpb342 on 22 Nov 15
       
      I like that you highlighted this quote, because it gives us all a place to start with in using Feedly.  Instead of being lost we can organize it like it is laid out here.
    • cas3238
      cas3238 on 04 Mar 16
       
      I agree, that this is a great tool to manage social media outlets in an efficient way. I have a hard time keeping up with checking all of my social media outlets on a daily basis. C. Spina
  • You know that time you waste each day standing in line for coffee, on the bus commuting or (gulp) in the bathroom (don’t lie, you know you do it)? You need to start using that time to your advantage.
    • cmm483
      cmm483 on 07 Mar 15
       
      I had never thought of looking through my things while I have down time, maybe I will be able to do this more now since my kids have their own ipods, kindles..... I'm going to try to do this more often, even if only 5 minutes a day! -Christina Miller
    • Cheryl Hornyak
      Cheryl Hornyak on 07 Mar 15
       
      Hi Christina, I was just thinking the same thing. I have to maximize my downtime! C. Hornyak
    • tscott34
      tscott34 on 08 Mar 15
       
      I understand what she is saying here, but I think that downtime can be good.  We need to be able to clear and rest our minds (and our eyes) sometimes.  Call me old-fashioned, but it really bothers me when I see people in public with their phones or ipads out and their eyes glued on it.  Especially young children.  I think this is one area where technology and social media is damaging our culture and society.  Just some thoughts! Sorry for the "soap-box"! Tonya Scott
    • ilanaaviva
      ilanaaviva on 08 Mar 15
       
      I think that this is a great example of how we can maximize our downtime and really put our smart phones to good use. I personally think that I would have to start making more of a conscious effort to do this because I tend to get caught up in my surroundings and would rather be present in the current moment than with my face in my phone. I completely understand the point of this strategy. I just think that for some people, they would have to change a lifestyle habit. -Ilana Haas
    • maria onorato
      maria onorato on 08 Mar 15
       
      I agree, I never thought that that 5 minutes in the bathroom can be beneficial, or maybe when you are on your lunch break from work. I'm going to have to remember that every time I have an extra 5 minutes to use it to my advantage and organize my PLN
    • maria onorato
      maria onorato on 08 Mar 15
       
      I'm sorry. I forgot to put my name- Maria Onorato
    • mrslynn1321
      mrslynn1321 on 21 Nov 15
       
      Maximizeing down time can be a good idea, but it can also burn you out.  We are so connected all of the time that I think we need to take a break from technology every day.  I make my children do it, so I need to lead by example! (Dawn Lynn)
    • jpb342
      jpb342 on 22 Nov 15
       
      As others have said downtime is important to relax and little and destress.  So although there are times where downtime can be used for stuff like this, we do not want to create burnout.  For example, I know some off periods I get I should use for planning and prep, but some days I just use it to unwind after a stressful class.  During days like that I could not imagine doing something like this.
    • jpb342
      jpb342 on 22 Nov 15
       
      Forgot to post my name. (John Bugay)
    • ulshf280
      ulshf280 on 23 Nov 15
       
      I actually think that this is totally ridiculous. People can't be connected all of the time. Most of the time, these are the times where it is my actual and only downtime for the day and let me tell you, I am not wasting it on social media. I need it for my own sanity! (Felicia Ulsh)
    • charles stuart
      charles stuart on 23 Nov 15
       
      That's a great idea, but as most of you will soon, or at some point realize, when you move on to the journey of your doctorate, there's no such thing as "down time", but time management is definitely necessary, something that I am in constant struggle with.
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 23 Nov 15
       
      I agree - it feels so good to just leave all technology off for the day! I think deep down inside, my kids appreciate it, too:). -Dr. Fritz
    • tsc898
      tsc898 on 23 Nov 15
       
      I enjoyed this back and forth of opinions on using social media during downtime. The way I've always thought about it is whether my downtime has more opportunities from being present with my own thoughts and the world around me, or if this is a true downtime I should be taking advantage of. No one can tell you where to draw the line with too much use of technology, but I think there is a time to get busy on your phone and a time to give it a rest. Having worked at a Starbucks for some time in the past, I can say I've seen people miss great thing in the real world around them because of their phones, but I've also seen people enjoy their otherwise tedious and frustrating wait because of social media. All I can say for sure about this is to try to be mindful of those around you and to be dynamic about moving from the world on your phone to the world around you. Technology is given a bad rap because of how oblivious people can be when they use it in public. If now is the time to get stuff done in your downtime, make that little bit of effort to be good to the real people around you. Timothy Conley
    • wenwahl
      wenwahl on 05 Mar 16
       
      I can see where there are some points in time that can be used to do this but I do not think that every waking moment should be devoted to maximizing downtime. As with everything else, there should be balance. Sometimes standing in line is just for standing in line and not having your face buried in a phone. I understand what the writer is trying to say but think there should be some discretion for how literally it is applied. (W. Kerr)
    • cmcguigan91
      cmcguigan91 on 05 Mar 16
       
      I have mixed feelings about this statement. Everytime I have downtime I feel like I always reach for my phone and start browsing through all of my social media accounts. Lately I have been telling myself that I need to back off and back away from technology because I feel like it distracts me from the world around me and I don't feel like I take the time to notice my surroundings enough. I definitely think its important to try and keep up to date with new updates in the industry but I think its important to draw a line and a maximum amount of time spent doing this each day because it can really take away from personal relaxation time that I feel is important also. -Carissa McGuigan
    • shannonlowens
      shannonlowens on 06 Mar 16
       
      This reminds me of the time management exercise I used to do with college students.  I'd put a brick in a glass jar, then some stones, then some sand to fill in the gaps and ask if it was full.  When they would (inevitably) say it was full, I'd start pouring in water, then lead a discussion about finding those bits of downtime.  That being said, I think a teacher who is constantly ON - teaching, learning, seeking, reading, etc. - runs the risk of burning out very quickly.  This is especially true for those of us who are true introverts.  ~S. Owens  
    • prcammiso
      prcammiso on 06 Mar 16
       
      I strongly disagree with this quote. What happened to work/life balance? Downtime is important, and so is having interests outside of your job - especially for teachers who can get burnt out so easily. I think technology makes it so easy to be "working" 24/7 that we need to consciously separate ourselves from our jobs - which makes downtime so important. - P. Cammiso 
    • gabriellateresa
      gabriellateresa on 07 Mar 15
       
      When I was big into media and PR (before I realized my true passion in teaching!) I was ALWAYS on twitter. It actually got both myself and my significant other tons of business. I created one for both him and myself, and became so active in Twitter lists and following industry leaders that it actually had a huge effect in terms of promotion and clientele! -G.Ilisco
  • It’s a great list of interactive marketers and PR folks in the Twin Cities. Use Twitter lists to your advantage to make Twitter smaller–and more manageable–on a daily basis.
    • slm389
      slm389 on 09 Mar 15
       
      It is a great idea to steal these lists.  I don't know if I would know where to start in making my own lists, but stealing someone else's would also connect me to new Twitter bloggers! -S. Goodyear
    • jessqross
      jessqross on 22 Nov 15
       
      I am super excited to use these lists for the teacher blog/fb page I'd like to start as well as network with my nonprofit and music. I cannot believe I didn't know about this piece through twitter. This class has definitely enlightened my perspective on using social media, but understanding the simple frameworks that can make social media work for me instead of me working for it. -Jess Ross
    • gabriellateresa
      gabriellateresa on 07 Mar 15
       
      This strategy relates most to my personal life. I try my best to constantly have on my radio or podcasts to listen to as I'm doing tasks around the house. My favorite is Joel Osteen! It's such a great way to incorporate technology into your daily routines. -G.Ilisco
    • rjs387
      rjs387 on 09 Mar 15
       
      I'm not even sure how to find podcasts, let alone sort through them. Pointers anyone? Rudalia Sutton
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 11 Mar 15
       
      Rudalia - you can search for them on the Internet or look in Itunes. Sometimes the website will tell you they have them (news and sports sites especially).
  • Specifically, think about the time you’re captive, where you have nothing to do but the task at hand
  • The point is, get organized about your blog reading system
    • lminton25
      lminton25 on 07 Mar 15
       
      Ok so this is where I need to start really using social media to my benefit. I'm so used to getting my knowledge from reading magazines and talking to teachers that I work with that I forget how valuable social media is. Feebly is just the tool I need to stay organized because boy am I all over the place some days when it comes to keeping tabs on the different blogs that I sort through. With the use of feebly I can definitely take that 15 minutes to read through the important educational knowledge that is trending that I would have otherwise missed. - Lindsay Minton
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 09 Mar 15
       
      The really nice thing about feedly is that you can organize blogs into folders. So, I have my personal blogs (knitting, recipes, etc.) in separate folders. Then, I have a folder for student blogs, news, etc. -Dr. Fritz
    • slf327
      slf327 on 18 Nov 15
       
      I have never heard of this, but it is something that I think would be so beneficial. Now that I started a Twitter, I feel as if it is getting out of control, which gives me anxiety. Anything that helps me organized is a plus in my books! (Shannon Feerrar)
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 23 Nov 15
       
      Shannon - I try to get on Twitter for just a few minutes each day and scan through my feed. When the timer goes off, I leave it.....usually:). Dr. Fritz
    • cas3238
      cas3238 on 04 Mar 16
       
      I like that this allows you to organize blogs in folders. It is similar to an e-mail account where you categorize e-mails. It makes it much easier to find the particular subject you are looking for. C. Spina
  • I use these articles and posts in presentations, client decks, blog posts and for reference in client meetings from time to time.
    • tscott34
      tscott34 on 08 Mar 15
       
      I really like this option although I haven't tried it.  It would be nice to be able to access highlighted information easily and quickly without having to take the time to search for the article in my bookmarks bar and then skim the article for the info.  I could pull up research or ideas at a team planning meeting or when I am writing lesson plans. Tonya Scott 
    • maria onorato
      maria onorato on 08 Mar 15
       
      This is actually a good idea. You never know when you might need a presentation for a work meeting, or an article for that matter.
    • maria onorato
      maria onorato on 08 Mar 15
       
      Sorry. I forgot to put my name.
    • mrslynn1321
      mrslynn1321 on 21 Nov 15
       
      I agree, this would be a useful tool to access information quickly.  I can see using this when I'm teaching a new idea in science and I could have highlighted information ready to view on the SmartBoard to introduce the lesson or to add information to the lesson. (Dawn Lynn)
    • jpb342
      jpb342 on 22 Nov 15
       
      Diigo is a great tool for stuff like this, because we don't always have easy access to a pen and paper to write down the sources we found.  Diigo provides an easier way of doing this that is convenient, so finding and citing sources does not become the chore it can be. (John Bugay)
    • cas3238
      cas3238 on 04 Mar 16
       
      I love that I can use this tool to easily share information with my staff. I like that you can highlight information that is important when I am delivering PD. C. Spina
  • Might not seem like much, but this gives you a great way to keep tabs on journalists you’re trying to develop relationships with, colleagues in the industry, business partners and other influencers. All of which you want to stay connected to.
    • tscott34
      tscott34 on 08 Mar 15
       
      Staying in contact with colleagues through facebook has been very helpful for me.  This may be a great collaboration tool.  A back-up plan so you don't miss anything colleagues are publishing.   Tonya Scott
    • James Hughes
      James Hughes on 08 Mar 15
       
      This seems like it would have direct application to creating a PLN and nurturing the online relationships in a meaningful give-and-take kind of way.
    • James Hughes
      James Hughes on 08 Mar 15
       
      Previous comment - J. Hughes
    • rjs387
      rjs387 on 09 Mar 15
       
      I agree that podcasts are a great way to extend your PLN. I have always wanted to create my own podcasts about teaching. I just didn't know how to get it out there into the digital cosmos. Rudalia Sutton
    • ryanjburks
      ryanjburks on 23 Nov 15
       
      The message that I'm getting from this section of the text is: "Stay Connected." This is directly related to the idea and use of PLNs that we have talked about in this class. There are many ways to build your PLN and this article gives wonderful tips.-Ryan Burks
  • The point is develop a process where you can scan and save a lot of posts/articles on the Web quickly and efficiently.
    • slm389
      slm389 on 09 Mar 15
       
      I like that the author gives ideas for tools to use, but basically just gives the idea that being organized is the most important part of the process.  Finding a way to keep a daily process efficient and reliable is what is most important.
    • ryanjburks
      ryanjburks on 23 Nov 15
       
      I agree completely with this statement. Using social media needs to be a planned process and something that can become habit and a routine. It can seem overwhelming at first, but I understand how this could be a useful activity.-Ryan Burks
    • cas3238
      cas3238 on 04 Mar 16
       
      I love that these tools can allow me to more easily share resources with my staff. C. Spina
  • Many folks use Paper.li as a tool to curate content and then share that content on Twitter.
    • slm389
      slm389 on 09 Mar 15
       
      This is a great idea, but seems like it would be one of the more time consuming strategies.  I do like the image that the author also posted in the article of how Paper.li sorts through content for you. 
    • meridithhayden
      meridithhayden on 15 Mar 15
       
      I can see myself using this tool more in the summer.  I generally have more down time and would be able to take my time curating, rather than only able to allot 15-20 mins a day to any social media.  I will give this a try this coming summer. --Meridith Hayden
  • Paper.li
    • brittaniberg
      brittaniberg on 09 Mar 15
       
      This seems like a great thing.  It is a way to create and combine things that we read and find interesting and then share them with others in your field.  This could be a way to combine topics and articles then share the ideas with our students so they can see how what we are learning relates to the real world.  They can also see how others in industry are talking about what they are learning. B. Berg
  • curate content
    • barbaramay
      barbaramay on 22 Nov 15
       
      Good point--I agree. It is not being lazy...it is being resourceful and efficient. Barbara may
    • rjs387
      rjs387 on 09 Mar 15
       
      What does curate content mean? Rudalia Sutton
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 11 Mar 15
       
      "gather" content
  • Google Alerts.
    • lgbeeson
      lgbeeson on 02 Mar 16
       
      I never thought about adding a google alert to keep up with educational news but this is an outstanding idea! I could tailor my alerts with specific keywords to keep up with different things! - L. Beeson
    • rjs387
      rjs387 on 09 Mar 15
       
      Google has so many different ways to access information. I will be sure to check out Google Alerts. Rudalia Sutton
  • I organize my blogs by geography (MN blogs), discipline (PR, social media, mobile), clients (industry blogs) and other miscellaneous categories (fun, business blogs, etc.). With Feedly, I can scan headlines of these blogs in about 15 minutes a day (I give myself a hard stop). I look for posts that would be relevant to clients–and interesting to me. I bookmark those I think meet those criteria, maybe share them on Twitter/Facebook and move on. 100 blogs in 15 minutes. Believe it.
    • mrslynn1321
      mrslynn1321 on 21 Nov 15
       
      This is my goal to organize social media and bookmark those things that are important to me. i would like to read important blogs in 15 minutes each day. (Dawn Lynn)
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 23 Nov 15
       
      Dawn - try feedly.com. I really like it! (And Google Reader doesn't exist anymore). -Dr. Fritz
    • samanthaelaine
      samanthaelaine on 04 Mar 16
       
      Organization is the key to everything. My blog post are not organized at all. I think that is something I need to work on. If blogs are organized than it will be possible to read blogs in 15 minutes. S Ruggiero
  • Maximize downtime
    • barbaramay
      barbaramay on 22 Nov 15
       
      this is when I have to disagree--downtime should be downtime. We do not have to constantly inundate our brains with more and more information. Sometimes, we can just let our brains relax and "zone out."
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 23 Nov 15
       
      Author for previous statement so that I can give you credit???
  • I’m talking about podcasts.
  • All of which you want to stay connected to
  • All of which you want to stay connected to.
    • cloring
      cloring on 23 Nov 15
       
      I think it's a great idea to use a tool like Feedly that just let's you see headlines. That way, you're not overwhelmed looking through a bunch of blogs, and can just refer back to the ones that really interested you
    • cloring
      cloring on 23 Nov 15
       
      Previous comment: Chelsea Loring
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 23 Nov 15
       
      Yes, Chelsea - feedly lets you also organize your feeds by subject. It is really convenient to only have to go to one page to read all of your feeds! -Dr. Fritz
  • My Diigo archive is a goldmine of articles and blog posts I’ve saved over the last 5-6 years.
    • charles stuart
      charles stuart on 23 Nov 15
       
      Diigo, is very new to me and this has been my first experiences with this method of social media.  I am sure I will take some time in the near future to explore this with a deeper meaning.  What I am also finding that I find myself getting introduced to so many social media tools, that by the time I figure it all out, I will be retired and on a beach in a sunny state, but having on young adult a soph in college and one teenager in the 10th grade, and one  in the 7th and one in the 3rd (lol, that's all) I enjoy discussing some of this with them.  Especially my oldest two, to see what their knowledge base is where they are attending school.
    • Carolyn Cruz
      Carolyn Cruz on 05 Mar 16
       
      I never really thought about how valuable these tools can be. Here it is in black and white, yet again from another source. I hope to continue learning about more tools that we can use to help us build our network of resources. I agree completely that these tools can keep information at our fingertips, especially when we are all using so many mobile devices.
  • A colleague and I lamented this point a couple months ago: Why don’t more people take advantage of Twitter lists? They give you a great way to make Twitter smaller. Consider the opportunities
    • charles stuart
      charles stuart on 23 Nov 15
       
      I have used Twitter on a limited bases in the past, actually after reading this, it reminded me that I had a twitter account for my non-profit organization that was maintained by another person of my organization.  I just felt that I got the same with Linkedin and had gotten use to it.  For me it's if I get use to it change becomes difficult.  It took me years to get use to not hearing the original ground line sign in of AOL, and more so to stop using AOL, actually, I still go there every now and then.  This course, all though I will admit, I have not put my best efforts in, is a very valuable course in that it educates you on what is out there and how to use these tools.  I will, as I have stated revisit all of these great tools, it will only make us more informed and social media up to date... 
    • tsc898
      tsc898 on 23 Nov 15
       
      I relate to this sentiment a lot. Twitter has never been very attractive to me partially because it's such a vast expanse of small ideas and thoughts. I tend to prefer going through articles and blogs. It's refreshing to think that you can make twitter serve to make finding those things easier. It hasn't been the best time for me to start using these social media tools recently, but in the coming months I may be moving to twitter to make the ways I already browse the internet more accessible and efficient. Timothy Conley
  • One thing I learned a while ago when it comes to curating content. If someone else is doing it better than you, steal from them
    • charles stuart
      charles stuart on 23 Nov 15
       
      Or, "hire them" and pay them their worth to keep them!  One of the most important realization of self, is knowing your limitations a lesson over the years I have been forced to learn, started out with a pluming job in my house that should have taken 2 hours, instead it took two days and a call to the plummer at weekend rates. It was at this time I fully understood someone's worth in their abilities to do things much better then I am possible of doing...
  • Facebook
    • lgbeeson
      lgbeeson on 02 Mar 16
       
      I have added and keep finding new resources to follow on Facebook and I keep adding new individuals to follow on Facebook everyday, I have stumbled upon so many excellent resources and professional development advice since I began expanding my PLN during this quarter. - L. Beeson
  • You have to maximize your downtime.
    • akenkelen
      akenkelen on 02 Mar 16
       
      I agree with Arik Hanson that as teachers, we must maximize any downtime that we have.  However, I do not think that downtime should be spent reading education blogs and twitter posts.  At least, this shouldn't happen all the time.  Everyone needs time to remove themselves from their jobs.  Not being able to do causes burn out.  I personally look forward to the little breaks during the school day so that I can turn off my brain momentarily and recharge my batteries. - Alex Kenkelen (EDUC 611-901)
  • I’m talking about podcasts.
    • corso91
      corso91 on 03 Mar 16
       
      Podcasts are an amazing resource! I was not really into them until I started this class, but there are so many different types of podcasts you can utilize to help you in the classroom. My favorite time to listen to them are in the car in the morning commute (there's no good music on this time anyway) and during my prep period. I have just been listening to them in the background as I do other work in my classroom. It is a great resource that I wish that I knew about earlier. -L.Corso
    • genevieve_kelly
      genevieve_kelly on 06 Mar 16
       
      Podcasts are so useful! I think about how often I am in the car driving from student teaching to work to school to home. I often use podcasts while I'm driving. They are an excellent resource and they introduce me to new ideas and people that can help me in the classroom and enhance my learning. -Genevieve Kelly
  • Paper.li does all the heavy lifting–and serves me up a daily/weekly digest of posts from people Paper.li thinks I find influential/interesting.
    • andreasantella
      andreasantella on 03 Mar 16
       
      It is nice that it keeps track of what might be of interest to you and shares those posts with you weekly.  This could be a big time saver.
  • It’s invaluable information–and it’s all at my fingertips because of this “scan and save” process I’ve developed (not all that groundbreaking, keep in mind)
    • samanthaelaine
      samanthaelaine on 04 Mar 16
       
      There is so much information at our fingertips and we need to be able to use it. Tools that will help us become better teachers and help us in our classrooms are all invaluable information. Scanning and saving can help us in so many ways. S Ruggiero
  • I use Diigo to not only archive posts (by tags/topics), but also to share them
    • ecameron4
      ecameron4 on 04 Mar 16
       
      One of the best ways for me to utilize social media is the ability to save things for later. Almost every time I find a great source I find while I'm waiting in line or some other time when I don't really have time to read the information but know that I want to read it later. Up to this point I have been using Pinterest to pin articles and sources for later. Diigo is a great tool however because then I can organize my saved sources. In Pinterest I have look around and hope to find the picture that goes with the link but in Diigo I can tag the post and then find it easily later. This ability to save things for later is imperative for me personally to be able to most efficiently and effectively use social media on the regular (Erin Cameron)
    • cas3238
      cas3238 on 04 Mar 16
       
      I agree with you that Pinterest is not as user friendly as Diigo. C. Spina
    • cas3238
      cas3238 on 04 Mar 16
       
      This is the first time I have used Digolet, but I think it is a great tool. I would love to see this used in school and for homework assignment. Students can go in and share there ideas about any article the instructor chooses. It is an easy way for students to collaborate. C. Spina
  • but also to share
  • Paper.li
    • Kelly VandenBosche
      Kelly VandenBosche on 04 Mar 16
       
      I just checked out paper.li and found that it is moving to a paid service on March 8th. But I wasn't that impressed with it anyway. The automatically generated papers were not very well keword organized. When searching for physics education, I got mostly physical education articles.
  • Feedly
    • Kelly VandenBosche
      Kelly VandenBosche on 04 Mar 16
       
      I never got into an RSS system, because I have been far too busy. As this author mentions, I could scan the headlines, but I would never have time to go back and read the articles. Perhaps once I am finished with my PhD and concurrent MS and only have one job, I can attempt this. Now that I have some strategies, it might work.
    • cas3238
      cas3238 on 04 Mar 16
       
      I have never gotten into on either. I have also been too busy with work and grad school. I hope to read more during the summer months.
    • pilar_fradin
      pilar_fradin on 08 Mar 16
       
      I still can't even figure out how they work, and how I'm supposed to find the time to read the headlines behind the articles.  I can barely find enough time for my Facebook news feed!
  • But, I also discovered a new tool called Newsle recently (thanks Heather Whaling!) that serves you up alerts (emails) each time one of your LinkedIn, Facebook or email database contacts is featured in a news story
    • cas3238
      cas3238 on 04 Mar 16
       
      I explored "Newsle" and I plan on using it in the future. It saves you the time of searching for news stories containing information about people you follow on Social Media. Many times, there is a news story that would provide beneficial information to you, but you miss it because you did not have the time to browse the internet that day. C. Spina
    • cas3238
      cas3238 on 04 Mar 16
       
      I researched "Newsle"and plan on using it in the future. I love that you can be notified when someone you follow on Social Media is mentioned in a news story. We do not always have time to browse the internet, so we miss articles that would be beneficial to us.
  • And, you need more information to do your job more effectively–and efficiently. And you want to stay smarter about industry trends.
    • cas3238
      cas3238 on 04 Mar 16
       
      I found this statement to be so important, because we need to constantly be learning. Education is changing so rapidly that it is hard to keep up with everything that we need to know. The more knowledge that an educator has about current educational trends, will lead to more effective instruction. C. Spina
  • Strategy #5: Turn on the radio
  • Why don’t more people take advantage of Twitter lists? They give you a great way to make Twitter smaller.
    • wenwahl
      wenwahl on 05 Mar 16
       
      Twitter is so expansive that would be almost impossible to cover all the content. Making lists is a good way to be organized and utilize the time you spend on it wisely. (W.Kerr)
  • Again
    • juliawisniewski
      juliawisniewski on 05 Mar 16
       
      It is extremely important to think about the downtime we have (especially those who are student teaching). By listening to podcasts (I listen to mine on my commute), we can maximize our learning time without wasting any time! -Julia Wisniewski
  • This is where a social bookmarking tool called Diigo does some serious heavy lifting for me
  • Curating your own content can be just as powerful as reviewing others that have done it for you.
    • cmcguigan91
      cmcguigan91 on 05 Mar 16
       
      It can be beneficial to compile our own resources i.e. blogs/articles related to education. This helps us to actively acknowledge what our particular interests are as we browse and what we personally find important. I like the idea of following blogs that curate content for you but sometimes our own interests can change and by browsing content we can evolve the content we curate accordingly. It is great that this tool will provide suggestions for you based on your interests also as it would keep the process more efficient. -Carissa McGuigan
  • Don’t do all the work yourself–seek out those sources that already exist and use that information to your advantage.
  • Don’t do all the work yourself–seek out those sources that already exist and use that information to your advantage.
  • Why don’t more people take advantage of Twitter lists?
    • cmcguigan91
      cmcguigan91 on 05 Mar 16
       
      I began using twitter several years ago as a teenager. Since then I strictly viewed twitter as a way to communicate with friends and to tweet about random thoughts. I never once thought of twitter being used for the purpose of expanding my knowledge in my professional life as a teacher. It was not until this course that I realized how beneficial it could be to use twitter for the purpose of following blogs and finding articles that would allow me to expand my knowledge as a teacher according to my own interests. I completely intend to create a twitter profile that is strictly for following professional blogs geared towards education. -Carissa McGuigan
    • Megan Krotz
      Megan Krotz on 05 Mar 16
       
      X Add Sticky Note Megan Krotz less than a minute ago Private One of the biggest takeaways I am getting from this article is to use my downtime in a productive way. Just like preparing my food for the week is the only way I pack a lunch and eat healthy, I need to find shortcuts and plan to do things like read blogs during my downtime. I did not know about setting up alerts or ways to check twitter faster, I actually try to go through the entire timeline. I think I need to spend time setting up things like this for the week, like reading 100 blogs in 15 mins and checking twitter more often! 
  • Delicious
    • shannonlowens
      shannonlowens on 06 Mar 16
       
      I attempted to use Delicious for an assignment earlier this term, but it didn't appear to have any new content in the last two years, at least that pertained to education. ~S. Owens
  • Does this scenario sound familiar? You’re stuck in meetings all day. You have absolutely no time. Yet your boss is asking you to stay on top of all things social media-related.
    • marjorierothman
      marjorierothman on 06 Mar 16
       
      What I find to be very interesting about these opening comments is that it addresses the idea that many people are being asked to follow more information than they are reasonably able to. Then the article goes on to explain how it is possible to stay up-to-date with social media in a shorter amount of time than many people would believe is possible. I think this quote is interesting because it is intrigues the reader to find out how it is possible to do more than we think we can do. I remember the first time I was on the internet, my professor telling me that the problem of the future will be that there is too much information, and we will have to week through the information to find what is actually relevant. This thought lead me to ask if it is important to scan hundreds of blogs, or is it more important to have a stronger working knowledge of actual information? I further wonder, how much information do we need, and what is the reason for scanning hundreds of blogs?
    • epbraun
      epbraun on 08 Mar 16
       
      I see how this strategy could work but unless you got back to actually read, what are you really getting out of scanning 100 blogs in 15 minutes?  I see how this works for the author but as a teacher, am I really taking advantage of the blog if I'm only scanning at the pace of 100 blogs in 15 minutes?
    • epbraun
      epbraun on 08 Mar 16
       
      I LOVE DIIGO! One of my biggest issues with reading online is that you don't have the opportunity to mark up your reading like you do with paper.  I also love that you can save for latter and use it to collaborate.  I have started using Diigo before this class and I hope to now start a more regimented process for using it.
    • epbraun
      epbraun on 08 Mar 16
       
      Driving is always a great time to listen to podcasts!  Obviously you can't take notes if needed, but I've found that Siri is a great way to jot down some things if I need to.  Think about all the time you have to drive and now imagine that time being productive!  What a difference!
  • Feedly is a blog reader tool (much like Google Reader).
    • pilar_fradin
      pilar_fradin on 08 Mar 16
       
      Feedly is laid out nicely, however I still don't understand the concept of scanning 100 blogs in 15 minutes.  Isn't that the same as simply reading the headlines? Headlines can be extremely misleading.  I tried setting up a Feedly page and I like it, but I still am not sure how I'm going to read blogs so quickly-I guess I just have to start practicing! -P. Fradin
  • mwilliams28 on 25 Nov 15
     
    The Twitter List is a great way to filter out irrelevant posts when scrolling through your timeline. I'm not a fan of not being able to Tweet a response or add to the conversation though. Marissa J Williams
  • mwilliams28 on 29 Nov 15
     
    o Is a great article on differentiating instruction! Eliminating Assessment Fog based on these three guidelines; identifying clear learning targets, separating logistical from academic, and providing different options/opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding of the content is a great way to filter out unnecessary details that may confuse our students and distract them from learning objectives and what we as teachers truly expect from them. Marissa J. Williams
  • ecameron4 on 04 Mar 16
     
    I just added my highlight and sticky note to the article but I only saw comments and highlights from 2015 so I wanted to make sure that I commented in the right place.
akenkelen

Introducing Social Media to Elementary Students | Edutopia - 23 views

www.edutopia.org/...-lower-elementary-beth-holland

shared by akenkelen on 12 Nov 13 - No Cached
  • it has become an imperative for us as educators -- and parents -- to model appropriate digital citizenship to even our youngest learners.
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 17 Nov 15
       
      "Even our youngest learners" - yes - as young as preschool if they understand reading a book/print.
    • jessqross
      jessqross on 22 Nov 15
       
      I think of my 8 month old and her ability to swipe left and right on my husbands Kindle already! Our children are exposed to all sorts go technology from birth and we should exposed them to it but responsibly. I remember telling my husband, i didn't want her to watch tv too early or be exposed to technology without loving the pages of a book first... It's definitely hard, can be done, be technology and social media should be in moderation. -Jess Ross
    • ocatvia
      ocatvia on 22 Nov 15
       
        Jess,your comment took me back to another article I read about how today's young people's brains have been completely rewired and almost programmed to be receptive to technology. But your concern as to how to behave in a parentally responsible way with regard to when and how to introduce your young child to technology made me also recall earlier articles I read about the many tech-employed parents working in Silicon Valley and how they have elected not to expose their preschool and elementary children to technology and social media because these, they believe, " inhibit creative thinking, movement, human interaction and attention spans." Like you, many want their children to discover of the magic of turning a page of a book and getting lost in it.  Here is a like to one such article: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/23/technology/at-waldorf-school-in-silicon-valley-technology-can-wait.html?_r=0    (O. McBride)  
    • jessqross
      jessqross on 22 Nov 15
       
      Thanks O. It is amazing the how many folks in Silicon Valley have the outlook. I understand their theory, however, i do understand that our work is saturated with it and it's many time necessary to even communicate and learn. I'm looking forward to digging in to this resource and reading a little more on this subject. Thanks for the article! :) -Jess Ross
  • teacher's blog post
    • slf327
      slf327 on 18 Nov 15
       
      I JUST LOVE THIS. This is everything I hope for in my future classroom. As I have been planning my final project, I felt as if I was starting out with something way to involved and was thinking about scrapping it all. After reading this, I am keeping it and am up for the challenge, as the students will get so much out of the experience! Awesome to hear how it works in other classrooms. I will have to check out her Twitter to see how it is unfolding! (Shannon Feerrar)
    • azajac32
      azajac32 on 21 Nov 15
       
      This is definitely a shining example of how successful it can be for an educator. I know I would love to implement some kind of technology into my classroom and the way this teacher is doing it is a great inspiration. The engagement piece of the students is is something we all strive for and how to change it up so our students want to keep asking those questions! -Andrea Zajac
  • ...28 more annotations...
  • I have worked with and spoken to dozens of educators who strongly feel that engaging in social media is irrelevant for them because of their students' age
    • slf327
      slf327 on 18 Nov 15
       
      I feel as if this is a common "argument." As we learn more about the benefits of utilizing social media within the younger classroom, we have to share the positives and how we are going to change any difficulties that we faced. Hopefully that will allow for others to understand and see the benefits with utilizing social media in the younger classrooms.
    • Erica Soble
      Erica Soble on 20 Nov 15
       
      Social media in the classroom, specifically the younger classroom is a key element to learning in my opinion. Students are already so tech savvy that we need to help them learn how they already know how. Our school district just blocked Pinterest from the computers because it is a social media site. Lots of teachers use that for their lessons though so they are working on getting that resolved.
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 20 Nov 15
       
      It's all about education - most of the administrators in the district probably have never been educated on social media - so they are afraid of it. If you create meaningful learning experiences using social media, then share it with others - invite them into your classroom to see how your students could benefit. Change takes time but it only takes one "irritation" in the system to begin that change. Dr. Fritz
    • slf327
      slf327 on 21 Nov 15
       
      Local districts in Lancaster have all started to participate in more technology in the classroom and the whole social media idea. I am not sure what district started it but it just seemed like all of a sudden everything went paperless and we were to be subscribing to district apps to keep up on what is going on. (Shannon Feerrar)
    • mrslynn1321
      mrslynn1321 on 23 Nov 15
       
      I am seeing an increase in the use of social media in my school district, but with just the younger teachers and particulary in Kindgergarten.  At my school, the kindergarten teachers have a website for their grade.  They also use bar codes and other means to increase student participation during class.  I have had training on these techniques, but have not used them yet. (Dawn Lynn)
  • This fall, however, they uncovered a new dimension for Twitter. In October, one member of the class found himself trapped in New York during Hurricane Sandy. Kristin Ziemke and her students used Twitter and their blogs to learn about the storm while also checking on their classmate's well being. She describes the experience in her blog:
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 20 Nov 15
       
      To add a sticky note right to the highlight, after you highlight - hover your mouse over the top left of the highlighted text. Then, a menu will appear - click the down arrow and add your note. -Dr. Fritz
    • slf327
      slf327 on 18 Nov 15
       
      I am so amazed by these teachers and their creativity. Great use of social media here! (Shannon Feerrar)
    • fareedadams
      fareedadams on 22 Nov 15
       
      I am amazed by the creativity too Shannon. (Fareed Adams)
  • Students already have enough screen time. Students need to be able to communicate in person. Students don't need to know about social media at this point -- it isn't age appropriate.
    • ferkomp
      ferkomp on 19 Nov 15
       
      I found this portion of the article to be very helpful. Since starting this class, I have focused mainly on the positives that social media has on students and the classroom. However, these three bullets make very compelling concerns/arguments for social media in the classroom. I feel it is important to gain a wide range of facts/opinions on topics even if you still feel the positives outweigh the negatives! - Mark Ferko
    • Erica Soble
      Erica Soble on 20 Nov 15
       
      These bullets are so true. The students are going home after school and sitting on some form of technology. Most think of social media as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, those sorts of things. I thought that too until I started taking this course. There is lots that students can use as far as social media that isn't along those lines.
  • individual
    • ferkomp
      ferkomp on 19 Nov 15
       
      I found this conclusion to the article to be very summative of the importance of social media in the classroom. The one part I especially liked as "whether you introduce social media to students through a class blog, individual student blogs, Twitter or paper, there is NO "right way" to begin". -- Mark Ferko
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 20 Nov 15
       
      The only "right way" is the way that enhances learning/connections/communications for your students! -Dr. Fritz
    • azajac32
      azajac32 on 21 Nov 15
       
      I agree this is a great way to end the article. I think the part where it states "we introduce all children to social media in appropriate and meaningful ways" is key. To teach digital citizenship then we have to decipher the context for how are students are to be engaged and what they should be doing to create a proper learning experience still even online. - Andrea Zajac
    • William G Schumacher
      William G Schumacher on 22 Nov 15
       
      I agree that "teaching students about social media in appropriate and meaning ways" is very important.  I remember learning typing in middle school in the early '90's, and how bored I was with only typing certain letters with certain fingers.  I was really excited to type and use a computer, but I was not engaged because what we were doing was not meaningful.  So important!
  • Whether you introduce social media to students through a class blog, individual student blogs, Twitter or paper, there is no "right way" to begin. Do I really feel that toddlers should Tweet? Probably not. However, what's important is that we introduce all children to social media in appropriate and meaningful ways, regardless of their age, such that they can connect to a global audience and develop as empowered, networked learners.
  • If we honestly think about it, we were all taught the "social media" of our time in early elementary school. Remember the friendly letter? How about thank you notes? Telephone etiquette? In early grades, none of us were expected to master these skills independently, but they were integrated into our curriculum so that effective social behavior could be modeled at a young age
    • ferkomp
      ferkomp on 19 Nov 15
       
      I found this to be a very amazing and thought out point. It was a great addition to the article and really made a nice reference to past years before today's  "social media" was around! -- Mark Ferko
    • km3337
      km3337 on 20 Nov 15
       
      Students will be needing these media skills as they matriculate into middle and high school. For a student who is shy, this can be another way for them to communicate. (K.Maguire)
    • megbrown80
      megbrown80 on 21 Nov 15
       
      I completely agree and I hadn't thought of this before the article. We introduce these concepts to students at an early age and social media is another medium where students are sharing their ideas.  I do think the difference is that a letter and phone call are private between two people. Social media opens up our thoughts and opinions up to a great world and because of that we need to educate our students as early as possible.  (M.Brown)
    • slf327
      slf327 on 21 Nov 15
       
      Playing Devils advocate side: it also opens up for the lack of being responsible with communication, hence the large amount of cyber bullying and sharing of personal information. It is IMPERATIVE that we teach our students what is appropriate and inappropriate media manners. As teachers we also need to make sure we are aware of what is going on within our own sites and student usage in school. This seems to be fairly easy with programs to see what our students are doing on the computer as they are doing it. (Shannon Feerrar)
    • azajac32
      azajac32 on 22 Nov 15
       
      I am also going to play devils advocate here because I think there is a loss of letter writing and cards in our world today. I did a lesson this past spring for pre-student teaching on card writing and the students loved it. They wanted to write more than one card. I think we have to teach our students how to be good writers first before we direct them to a social media environment. This can easily be done as we teach students and I agree it has to be appropriate with their writing. "You" is not spelled "U". Maybe I am sentimental, but I was just thinking the other day when we think about how people recorded history we had letters to help us piece some of it together. I would like students to still hold value to the power of writing. One word said wrong and posted out to the world could change their whole life. -Andrea Zajac 
  • I walked past their blog walls. To teach the concept of posting and commenting, the students created physical blogs on bulletin boards in the hallway of the school
    • Erica Soble
      Erica Soble on 20 Nov 15
       
      This was very interesting to see. I had never thought of using a blog as a form of writing for students in elementary level. The classroom that I am student teaching in is a preK classroom. They don't know how to type but they are journaling. They draw a picture and then write about it. If I had a higher classroom, I would think about blogging as their writing. (E. Soble)
    • mkm420fritz
      mkm420fritz on 20 Nov 15
       
      For the younger students, you could add their drawing to VoiceThread. THen, the students could "speak" their comments/story about the picture! -Dr. Fritz
    • megbrown80
      megbrown80 on 21 Nov 15
       
      What a wonderful idea! Showing students that really they are making a poster that has their ideas and opinions goes a long way to making the internet and posting less abstract. (M.Brown)
    • azajac32
      azajac32 on 21 Nov 15
       
      I found this interesting as well. It is a great way to work on the pre-writing process with students as well as incorporating an introduction to how to use social media. I have seen some teachers do the whole Instagram or Selfie walls, but this to me would be more connected and more structural because then the students can actually go and write on their class blog. I agree Kindergarteners would love to record themselves. Knowing that we are working on fundamentals at this point in the year I see this being a great lesson activity for later in the year when they have gained some reading and more writing skills. They would feel more confident in their "voice" to want to record it. This is why I like the resource StoryBird it is a similar concept, but even this Croak.It resource would be nice for the students to use. -Andrea Zajac
    • William G Schumacher
      William G Schumacher on 22 Nov 15
       
      I love this idea!  I did something similar with a Google+ profile for the class, and they decorated the board with their profile information as a class.  The kids really enjoyed expressing themselves as a class.
    • mrslynn1321
      mrslynn1321 on 23 Nov 15
       
      Now that I know how easy it is to use voice thread, I could see using this tool in elementary school and having the kids make a presentation for the classroom or even the school! (Dawn Lynn)
  • In just the past few weeks, Kristen Wideen's students have shared math stories with a class in Iowa and frog data with a class in Singapore
    • km3337
      km3337 on 20 Nov 15
       
      This lends itself to the concept of flat classroom. As adults, it is necessary to collaborate across the globe in science and medicine. It's a great opportunity for students to build on their learning from another perspective. -K. Maguire
    • slf327
      slf327 on 21 Nov 15
       
      It would also help encourage accepting others and respecting others opinions. It will also allow students to open their minds and possibly learn a new way to to something. (Shannon Feerrar)
    • cloring
      cloring on 23 Nov 15
       
      This type of interaction is great. Not only does it let students share what they are learning, but it allows them to see how other students learn, and how their culture is different (C.Loring)
  • Lately, the grade 1/2 students in Kristen Wideen's class have been studying tadpoles and frogs. I know this because I've seen their Padlet wall of questions, witnessed the delivery of tadpoles, and watched a young boy read to his amphibian friend -- all through Twitter
    • megbrown80
      megbrown80 on 21 Nov 15
       
      This highlights the way social media can be so helpful to bringing parents and the community into the classroom. Parents can feel connected to their children's learning which means they will hopeful be able to engage with their children better and more easily. 
    • slf327
      slf327 on 21 Nov 15
       
      Anything that helps with parent involvement is always a plus!!!
  • Kristen Wideen originally created a class Twitter account so that her students could begin to engage in the cultivation of their own Personal Learning Networks (PLNs). Her students not only learn, but also share their learning with a broader community. Whether through whole-group Twitter activities and Skype, calls or individual KidBlogs, these students recognize that there are connections to be made beyond their Ontario classroom -- all while working on their reading, writing, communication and collaboration.
    • mrslynn1321
      mrslynn1321 on 21 Nov 15
       
      This is proof that elementary students can benefit from social media. Young learners and their families can see the advantages of using social in the classroom and young students are taught, at an early age, proper use of social media tools.
    • mrslynn1321
      mrslynn1321 on 21 Nov 15
       
      (Dawn Lynn)
  • My students were empowered to be part of a learning network that was for students, by students. So often, young children only have access to information that is filtered through an adult channel. While oftentimes that is appropriate, kids also need the model of other children as information providers
    • azajac32
      azajac32 on 21 Nov 15
       
      There were many things said in this article, but I find this quote to be just as profound. We want our students to feel empowered and be a part of the learning process. In a social media context the students really do get to do this. I hesitate on how to introduce this at such a young age, but as models for our students we can help guide them in the right direction. -Andrea Zajac
    • mrslynn1321
      mrslynn1321 on 23 Nov 15
       
      This also speaks to a classroom being student led instead of always being teacher led.  I love to watch students work together and teach each other.  This is one area where I see the need for improvement in my teaching style and technology is one tool to increase this type of learning in the classroom.  (Dawn Lynn)
    • tsc898
      tsc898 on 23 Nov 15
       
      Student led learning seems particularly important with online resources since its something so many people use on their own. The more students practice exploring online resources and learn how to use online resources to accomplish tasks, the more students will be able to do this on their own. With the fast pace of that technology is evolving, its imperative that students learn to explore new online tools because new ones come along so often and old ones change in time. Timothy Conley
  • KidBlogs
    • azajac32
      azajac32 on 21 Nov 15
       
      With the resources mentioned hear such as KidBlogs and Croak.It there is a better understanding of how to implement social media in a classroom at a younger age. Before these I do not feel there would have been much success nor would teachers felt safe. The more tools available that offer a safe environment for students more teachers are going to want to use them.  -Andrea Zajac
  • Comments
  • Social media enables the creation of meaningful connections
    • jessqross
      jessqross on 22 Nov 15
       
      Meaningful connections! Because technology surrounds our ever day life... these are the "authentic and relevant connections" our children make with the world. It's the way they communicate. Although, face-to-face connections are important,educators should continue to find ways to teach children within this foundation, meeting their need and source of connection. -Jess Ross
    • cloring
      cloring on 23 Nov 15
       
      I also think this is important to students who may have social anxiety. Although it may be impossible for them to talk to someone in person, they may open up a lot more on social media/through technology (C.Loring)
  • connections
  • students
    • fareedadams
      fareedadams on 22 Nov 15
       
      I highlighted this section of the article introducing Social Media to Elementary Students because I think it emphasizes the importance for hands on activities for elementary school students.
    • fareedadams
      fareedadams on 22 Nov 15
       
      I highlighted this section of the article introducing Social Media to Elementary Students because I think it emphasizes the importance for hands on activities for elementary school students. (Fareed Adams)
    • km3337
      km3337 on 24 Nov 15
       
      This would be great to share with parents on Back to School Night because we often hear concerns from parents over amounts of screen time at home and they want their child to have opportunities for typical social time activities like recess at school. - Kathryn Maguire
  • Collectively, they would discuss their learning experiences as a class, before Tweeting out their thoughts, questions and ideas to their broader learning community.
    • fareedadams
      fareedadams on 22 Nov 15
       
      I think this is what makes tweeting so dynamic because you can transcend the confines of the classroom and connect with the broader community. (Fareed Adams)
    • jessqross
      jessqross on 22 Nov 15
       
      http://www.academia.edu/194162/Collaborative_Learning_Experiences_Using_Social_Networks Social Media Networks can play a huge role in the development of our children's learning experiences. I have attached this article on collaboration in the learning experience through 3 phases through a "live learning strategy". Enjoy! :) -Jess Ross
  • Not only did social media empower this student, but it also provided her with a global audience. In 18 days, she received 42 comments from teachers, family members and other adults from across the continent. By empowering her students with the use of social media, Kristin Ziemke connects them to a global audience and introduces them to the complex communication required to be effective digital citizens.
  • For teachers who have only started to explore the uses of social media for their own professional development, much less with their students, setting children loose on blogs or Twitter can seem daunting.
    • Mathew Kennedy
      Mathew Kennedy on 24 Nov 15
       
      Getting something started with something new can sometime scare people.  For people who are not technologically inclined this could be even worse.  I've heard teachers in the past shy away from technology instead of embracing it because they aren't tech savvy.  As teachers, we need to assume that new things and ideas will come out and we have to jump on board.  In the end, students benefit from this and that's the number one priority.  
  • As I said, I agree. However, if used effectively, social media can transform a student's learning experience.
    • km3337
      km3337 on 24 Nov 15
       
      Communicating with students from other environments can be valuable. Students can share things that they are good at as well as things that they struggle with. It is powerful for a child to hear from another child from a place outside their immediate realm. - K. Maguire 
  • Extend the Classroom
    • wwprincessjww
      wwprincessjww on 25 Nov 15
       
      "Extend the classroom" is a great phrase. Why does a classroom have to be a room? Social media came make the world the classroom. -Jeannine McGoldrick
  • I agree that young children need to interact in a face-to-face setting.
    • wwprincessjww
      wwprincessjww on 25 Nov 15
       
      "Children need to interact in a face to face setting". Children who are a bit shy will have an easier time face to face when they're online. -Jeannine McGoldrick
  • nicolecartledge on 12 Nov 13
  • ...2 more comments...
  • wwprincessjww on 20 Nov 15
     
    I have no idea if my highlighting and note will show up -Jeannine McGoldrick
  • mrslynn1321 on 21 Nov 15
     
    Beth Holland, communication coordinator and instructor at EdTech Teacher, gives three age-appropriate examples of introducing social media to children in the lower elementary grades.
  • mwilliams28 on 25 Nov 15
     
    The more I reflect on introducing social media to our elementary students, the more I wonder if we are teaching them that they are not relevant unless they are connected to a group of individuals beyond their physical environment, or to subconsciously validate themselves by the number of likes or comments they receive from their followers...#hmmmm~ Marissa Williams
  • mwilliams28 on 29 Nov 15
     
    "To teach the concept of posting and commenting, the students created physical blogs on bulletin boards in the hallway of the school." Before actually introducing a social media tool in the class we could have a blog wall to teach students #posting, #commenting and reflection to stare and frame their conversations and get them familiar with the process.
1 - 13 of 13
Showing 20▼ items per page