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Randy Ziegenfuss

21st Century Curriculum and Assessment Framework - 0 views

  • Today, the NCTE definition of 21st century literacies makes it clear that further evolution of curriculum, assessment, and teaching practice itself is necessary.
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    Context for NCTE's 21st Century Literacies Framework
Randy Ziegenfuss

Mathalicious - 0 views

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    "At Mathalicious, our mission is to help transform the way math is taught by providing you with the best, most meaningful and most relevant math content available. Our lessons are aligned to traditional state standards. Unlike most math resources, though, our content emphasizes both conceptual understanding and real-world application."
Randy Ziegenfuss

WordItOut - Transform your text into word clouds! - 0 views

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    "Simply enter some text and create your word cloud!"
Randy Ziegenfuss

60 Educational Game Sites That You've Probably Never Seen « Tech:-)Happy - 0 views

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    "60 Educational Game Sites That You've Probably Never Seen"
Randy Ziegenfuss

Copyright Alliance Education Foundation - 0 views

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    A series of lesson plans, arranged by grade level and subject area, to support the teaching of copyright in the classroom.
Randy Ziegenfuss

25 BEST Sites for Free Educational Videos - 0 views

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    "RefSeek's guide to the 25 best online resources for finding and viewing educational videos. With the exception of BrainPOP and Cosmeo, all listed sites offer their extensive video libraries for free and without registration."
Randy Ziegenfuss

Free Moodle Accounts at WebTeacherTools.com - 0 views

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    Free Moodle account for any educator
Randy Ziegenfuss

Motives of 21st Century Skills Group Questioned - 0 views

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    Jason Ohler argues that technology can't be separated from school because it can't be separated from life. He developed this blog post as a response to and Education Week article criticizing the motives of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills
Randy Ziegenfuss

Teacher Training Videos created by Russell Stannard - 0 views

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    Screencast videos on all kinds of Web 2.0 tools.
Randy Ziegenfuss

Google Apps for ePortfolios - 0 views

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    "Schools and universities can set up free Google Apps accounts with their own domain name, where they can give all student and faculty acces to a variety of tools, including a GMail account, iGoogle portal, Google Groups for collaboration, and Pages, for creating websites. Each user can also use their GMail account to activate other Google services, such as GoogleDocs."
Randy Ziegenfuss

Microsoft UK Schools News Blog : Scaling up Innovation - 0 views

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    "The Scaling Framework - an interactive tool that helps analyse how you move an innovation from being something done by 1 or 2 people, to making it widespread."
Randy Ziegenfuss

Teaching and technology ~ presentations and resources for educators - 0 views

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    "During the last six or so years I have created a number of 'how-to' documents and presentations for a variety of web based and related technologies. They are available from the various workshop web pages however I thought it might prove helpful to link to all the documents from a single page. Some of my workshop participants have referred to these documents as 'cheat sheets'."
Alicia Cortese

Tales of an 11th Grade Teacher - 0 views

shared by Alicia Cortese on 08 Oct 09 - Cached
  • iPhone with some apps
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      Curious what you find most useful.
    • Heather Apostolopoulos
       
      me too! I love my iphone and I have had one since they first came out. Both my kids and my husband utilize one too. Which apps do you reccomend? or which are your favorites? Pandora?all the trivias?
  • ow do we evaluate the learning of the content vs. the application of knowledge vs. the skill of using the technology.
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      Great topic for class discussion.
  • do we even need to require a computer class
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      If technology is like air in the classroom, the answer is NO!
  • ...9 more annotations...
  • Oregon Trail
    • Douglas Gimbar
       
      I thought I was the only one who liked this. Is that game still out there somewhere?
  • What took my block 2 class just over 1 and a half class period has stretched into its fourth day of construction. It got into my head as to just where to set the bar for other classes and future assignments and further raised the question of whether students could have gotten just as far as they would have if they had made posters.
    • Heather Apostolopoulos
       
      I, too, have been learn how to deal with what my "at risk" kids can do to the type of student I previously taught!
    • Douglas Gimbar
       
      Maybe posters would have gone smoother, but would the students be motivated to complete them. Eventhough it's taking a while, were the students engaged? Were they putting forth a good effort? Isn't that the most important thing?
    • Alicia Cortese
       
      It may have taken longer but your students gained content knowledge while learning how to problem solve and think critically. No one ever said that building 21st century learning skills would be easy. Kudos to you for taking a risk, putting forth the effort and engaging all of your students.
  • could a chalkboard be used for the same purpose
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      Yes....and you can only have one kid at the SmartBoard at a time...not so with the chalkboard...you can have as many kids as fit!
  • Yes, they spend thousands to buy technology but are not prepared to develop an infrastructure to actually support easier usage.
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      True, but if used in an innovative way, I'd still rather have one on a stand than none at all. "If used in an innovative way..." .. key phrase here.
    • Douglas Gimbar
       
      Innovative way is definitely the key. I use mine to display review flipcharts that I found online. I also use it to do our PSSA review problems in class. So far, the main benefit of the smartboard is that it doesn't take much time to clear and move on, and you don't have to worry about chalkdust!
    • Kevin Bush
       
      I just wonder how much of this could be done without the fancy SmartBoard vs. the cost. I visit one classroom that simply uses it for a screen without using any of the interactive features and has disconnected the wire used to connect to sync it to her computer. Again, "if used in an innovative way..."
  • This leads to my ultimate grumbling of the week, I think that because of the shortcuts made to put technology into the hands of teachers and students that we are actually sacrificing class time and more importantly time on task. The concept of time on task was first studied by the late Ted Sizer who passed away recently. As a traveling teacher, I need to pack and unpack at least three times per day. I wonder how much time students actually lose not only in my class but throughout a day because of technology. Its not as though that time can be gained back. I do believe that technology is valuable to students but our schools need to do more with both infrastructure and training to make the devices increase the academic capacity of our students.
  • why aren’t schools quicker to recognize the power behind technology.
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      This is the million dollar question. Leadership, vision, DNA? All of the above? And more?
  • post their own ideas,
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      It's an age of creation, not just consumption.
  • ill technology one day make brick and mortar school obselete?
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      This was "debated" - oxford style - at the last ISTE/NECC conference in Washington, D.C. http://istevision.org/watch.php?vid=d50b09b05790f24ee5dcfcb2d98a51b5ee98f902
    • Douglas Gimbar
       
      I don't think they will ever be obselete. We will always need a "meeting place" where students can gather and have face-to-face communication with theire teacher and each other. Will they have a diminishing role in the future? Maybe.
  • While one member of my department was showing off the new goods he stated and I quote, I don’t why they spent so much money, I only need this for attendance and emails.”
    • Douglas Gimbar
       
      I'm curious as to how old this person is.
    • Alicia Cortese
       
      Does your district provide training?
Douglas Gimbar

What a blog strange trip it's been - 2 views

shared by Douglas Gimbar on 30 Sep 09 - Cached
  • Learning how to use Prezi proficiently could easily take multiple days of lessons.  Therefore the students would need to spend a good amount of time just learning about the tool before using it to present other curricular topics.  With the time crunch in schools today this could end Prezi’s life in a classroom before it begins.
    • Douglas Gimbar
       
      I haven't checked out the site yet, but it sounds like an amazing tool one can use either in or out of the classroom. Your point about time however is very interesting. We are under so much pressure as teachers to prepare our students for PSSAs that one of the biggest questions we have is do we have enough time to try new stuff, even if the new material is pushing 21st century education.
  • Of course, the more frustrated I got the less I wanted to try to learn about how Prezi worked.  I was that student that got disillusioned with what I was learning somewhere along way, and decided I wasn’t that interested in learning that “something” anymore.
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      I really like how you reflected on the process. That is so important to what we do! Too often it is missing in our field.
  • I realized that I, like most students today, have been sucked into the world of instant gratification.
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      Is this unique to today, or is this just human nature? Has technology made this worst or made it new?
  • ...11 more annotations...
  • To truly problem solve in life and in school one needs to be able to analyze  actions that are being taken toward solving a given problem and analyze the result those actions have on the final outcome. 
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      This is a pervasive problem - in society - but I also think in our profession. Maybe I can share what I am working on with my dissertation. It reflects some of this.
    • Alicia Cortese
       
      please don't tease!
  • apply it to one of my classes.
    • jamie hill
       
      I also showed a Prezi in class. I think the groups that saw the Prezi were more engaged and seemed to have a better working knowledge of the concept than the class that did not see the Prezi.
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      I am curious what you saw that made you think this, Jamie.
  • My plan is ultimately to give parents the link to our Prezi.
    • Douglas Gimbar
       
      Great idea. We have to keep them as involved as possible.
  • I feel they’ll be motivated to do more metacognative activities such as this one after seeing how the information is presented
    • Janelle Schaeffer
       
      Nice way to achieve balance
  • In having to think outside the box I’ve learned more about technology in education in the last 8 weeks  than I had in the last 8 years
    • Alicia Cortese
       
      I had a similar notion of what I thought the class would be like. I too am pleasantly surpised and excited about all the new things I have learned in such a small amount of time.
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      The format of the class is decidedly different. I set out to try and model a classroom environment that is most conducive to using the various tools. I am interested to get some feedback from all of you on the format of the class. I know it's a it different, but I think it works. I am open to any ideas or suggestions you might have.
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      Great reflections, by the way....
    • Douglas Gimbar
       
      I think it takes a certain type of person to excel in a class formatted in this fashion. From what I can see, all of us fit into that mold. Maybe it would not work for students who have to be here, but does for us because we all want to be here.
    • Alicia Cortese
       
      I agree with Doug. I think this format works wonderfully because we are all motivated to learn. I must say though, I have been stressing about our final project... I still love my rigid guidelines. Hopefully techology enables me to break the bonds of my tightly controled and structured learning style.
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      That is interesting, Doug. And I think you are correct in that all of you seem to have a certain disposition that operates fairly successfully in this kind of environment. Are their a variety of dispositions? Should education be accepting of varying dispositions in teaching? If so, how does the system manage that?
    • Shawn Collier
       
      I feel like a big component of this class that helps us all feel like we're learning so much is the absence of right and wrong. So many classes have tests, or papers, or projects where you'll be judged in front of your peers, which causes instant stress. In this class however we're able to come and learn with each other, with out worrying about that stress. It's funny becasue as much as we all might hate the idea of 10 page papers we have been trained to show what we've learned in that format, which in a weird way almost makes us feel more comfortable doing something we don't like than doing something outside the box.
    • Kevin Bush
       
      I agree with the 10 page paper bit, I wonder when higher education will let go of the old way to promote digital literacy and learning.
  • As educators we strive to positively reach all of our students; but often don’t ever interact with all of the other professionals in our buildings.  This is a problem. 
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      Good job starting with what you perceive as a problem!
    • Shawn Collier
       
      I feel like so many people (kids, teachers, parents, administrators) in the world today are scared to be wrong. This negatively affects people's ability to be life long learners. If we could all take time to realize that we have A LOT to learn from each other think about how productive schools would be. I remember learing about Japanese lesson study and the way many in Japan plan for their students. With in these planning sessions it's acually looked at as a positive trait to say you don't know much about a subject becuase it's self reflective and provides an opportunity for growth. We're missing this in America.
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      I would agree. Look at our policitcal system. Do we really think that a leader is going to turn our country and its complex problems around in a year? Regardless of who could have been elected last November, Americans would have expected a quick fix AND for that person to have all the answers. It doesn't work that way. Anyhow...enough of politics.
    • Douglas Gimbar
       
      Lifelong learning is one of the most important parts of "real world". Being able to change, adapt, and communicate with others is a tool students need to know now so they can grow in the future.
    • Shawn Collier
       
      I absoloutely agree with you Doug. it makes you wonder how much we teach anymore that teaches kids to be life long learners. So much of our curiculum helps them know specific facts to do well on standardized tests, which does not translate to facilitating life long learning.
    • Alicia Cortese
       
      I too agree but one also has to realize that the passion a teacher models to their students is also a key motivating factor in creating intrinsic learners. While we may have to teach particular skill sets we can do it with bravado thus allowing are students to realize how much fun learning can be.
  • While I may not be in an ideal place to utilize technology with the students I see, I am in the perfect position to use technology to enhance teaching and learning with my co-workers.
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      I like how you stuck with it and have come up with an idea that is real and meaningful.
  • I’m hoping that utilizing Google docs will do this for me.
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      Nice idea...think about how you'll implement this, get others involved, and lead the way!
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      Good luck!
    • Heather Apostolopoulos
       
      Our English department has been using google.doc to hook everyone up with all kinds of rubrics for writing projects, etc. It has work really well, if you thnk you need some type of rubric, you can usually find it on there.
    • Kevin Bush
       
      Our administrators think google docs is too complicated. My students absolutely love being able to share their ideas while writing their papers.
  • I felt like I was spinning my wheels attempting to squeeze something out of all of  the technology we’ve explored. 
  • Another constraint is the fact that all meetings have to be scheduled in advance. 
    • Douglas Gimbar
       
      How far in adavance?
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    I agree with you 100 percent. You need to learn about the students just as much as they need to learn about the material you are teaching them.
Douglas Gimbar

http://heatjim.edublogs.org - 6 views

shared by Douglas Gimbar on 30 Sep 09 - Cached
  • chaos city
    • jamie hill
       
      Why do they not know how to set up an email account on their own? This should have been an easy task for 21st century students.
    • Heather Apostolopoulos
       
      Not for my kids... a lot of them do not have computers at home. I teach at-risk, low social economic students.
    • jamie hill
       
      Fair enough.
    • Heather Apostolopoulos
       
      I had to laugh when you wrote that. This afternoon I got all my kids in and did a trial homework assignment with just gmail. They were very enthusiastic... it was a good day
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      I think it is great that you keep plowing through the messiness of using these tools. So often, teachers (and administrators) are uncomfortable with messiness. What can you expect though with NCLB? Don't make any mistakes. And if things aren't perfect, there will be hell to pay! Keep going, Heather!
  • she was very into finding out how to use these thing
    • Douglas Gimbar
       
      At least she is behind you, that's a start. There's nothing harder than cutting through the legal tape and fighting against your administration.
  • She had not heard of either of these tools
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      I shall be blunt. How pathetically sad!
  • ...12 more annotations...
  • I’m soooooo upset. Gmail needs to stop for now!
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      Looking forward to hearing about the story! This should dove-tail nicely into the whole digital citizenship discussion.
  • AND OVER 3000 STUDENTS
  • AND OVER 3000 STUDENTS
  • AND OVER 3000 STUDENTS
  • any thoughts guys
    • jamie hill
       
      you know the risks. We all take risks. And as long as you know what you are getting yourself into, I say go for it.
  • maybe access it at home and complete? Any ideas?
    • jamie hill
       
      Can they create a list of words first in google docs or Word then copy and paste into wordle in class?
    • Heather Apostolopoulos
       
      That's what I figured out.Have them type and save in a word doc.... which they can open whenever, I can even have them gmail it to themselves at home.
  • I keep having to go back to the help button to figure out how to make the show work.
  • I intent to introduce my students to it next week. I hope they will be as excited as I am about the concept.
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      That is great, Heather! I'm sure with your enthusiasm, they will love it, too!
    • Heather Apostolopoulos
       
      Randy, I cannot figure out how to access my eductaional account... any ideas?
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      I have not use the educational account, but we can work on that in class. As well as your camera issue...we can work on that too.
  • By Thursday I will be into a story about the Black Plague
    • Janelle Schaeffer
       
      Just a hunch...but you might find some interesting interactive things on the internet that deal with the black plague or Medieval Europe.
    • Heather Apostolopoulos
       
      I love it ... this is the perfect time to be doing this unit.
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      I like how you are sharing this "aha" moment about prior knowledge. Around 2000, John Bransford et al, published a book called How People Learn. Prior knowledge is a key feature of what we hang new learning on. That is why it is important for teachers to understand the experiences of their students. If you just teach content, you will likely never tap into the prior knowledge that kids will attempt ot hang that new learning on.
  • I realize that this class has opened a whole new world to us.
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      So what you now know has changed your paradigm of the "classroom?"
  • Students can use their cognitive skills and stretch their imaginations beyond any limits in the 21st century.
    • Randy Ziegenfuss
       
      As you think about those two essential questions, push yourself to think beyond the technology. How is the teaching and learning different as a result? Otherwise, we get sidetracked by the tehnology and forget to think about its impact.
    • Heather Apostolopoulos
       
      Yes, Randy, but using the technology as only a tool is what the idea is.
  • The other tool that I am learning how to use is imovie.
    • Douglas Gimbar
       
      I can't wait to see your project. Anytime someone uses something new it is exciting and creats a sense of accomplishment. You should be proud of yourself.
  •  
    Randy, I now have a meeting with head of tech at my high school as well as Tom Drago( head of technology for Easton sd. )Oh boy, my principal wants me to show them what I'm doing. Hope this doesn't fall all over me and the rest of the English department is going to have to stop using gmail and google docs, since they all been using it but never asked permission. The good thing is my enthusiasm and my kids'. They love it. I'll post my wordle experience tomorrow( was wonderful). After I took this job, I was so worried about to reach these kids. Thanks for showing me a way and for your support!
Randy Ziegenfuss

When Innovation Gets Difficult - 0 views

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    Keynote address delivered by David Wiley.
Randy Ziegenfuss

National Educational Technology Plan - 0 views

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    "The U.S. Department of Education is developing a new National Educational Technology Plan to provide a vision for how information and communication technologies can help transform American education. The plan will provide a set of concrete goals that can inform state and local educational technology plans as well as inspire research, development, and innovation. A draft plan is expected in early 2010."
Randy Ziegenfuss

KnowledgeWorks Foundation - Institute for Creative Collaboration - 0 views

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    "KnowledgeWorks' Institute for Creative Collaboration builds the capacity of organizations and groups to think bigger, learn together and work smarter.
Randy Ziegenfuss

Social Media in Learning examples - 0 views

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    "I am constantly being asked, by those new to social media, for specific examples of how social media (Web 2.0) tools can be used for learning - whether it be for personal learning, informal learning or formal learning - in education or the workplace. So here are over 100 ways that different social technologies (and tools) are being used by learning professionals worldwide - compiled from the comments of those who have contributed their Top Tools for Learning."
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