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Valerie Jergens

Zamzar File Conversion - 0 views

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    I am sharing this site because the more I am trying to keep and share content on the web, the more I find my files being in the wrong file type for everyone to access. Zamzar can convert file types that I cannot always do myself.
Melinda Connon

GeoGebra - 2 views

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    Great free geometry software that is similar to Geometer's sketchpad
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    I have been using this tool to develop/convert investigative activities for Geometry through Calculus. The files files can be exported to HTML in a nicer format that Geometer's Sketchpad 4.0. I haven't tried GSP 5.0.
Barb Ahrens

Springnote - your online notebook based on wiki - 1 views

shared by Barb Ahrens on 30 Sep 11 - Cached
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    This site could be useful for students in a writing course. Students could keep track of story ideas and thoughts in the personal notebook. For collaborative groups there is a group notebook. Groups would have the opportunity to build off of the work of others.
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    A free online notebook based on wiki. Create pages and share files. Allows group members to easily collaborate. Advanced search, numerous templates, and 2GB of free file storage.
Eldon Bird

Dropbox - Online backup, file sync, and sharing made easy. - 3 views

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    Free online file storage to share with multiple computers and colleagues.
Amy Burns

Fileminx - Free File Conversion Online in Real-time - 0 views

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    Great fast, free file conversion tool
Joel Conn

An overview of Google Docs - Google Docs Help - 0 views

  • Google Docs is a suite of products that lets you create different kinds of online documents, work on them in real time with other people, and store your documents and your other files -- all online, and all for free. With an Internet connection, you can access your documents and files from any computer, anywhere in the world. (There's even some work you can do without an Internet connection!) This guide will give you a quick overview of the many things that you can do in Google Docs.
    • Joel Conn
       
      Description of Google Docs
Carol Price

Free conversion - no download required - Zamzar - 0 views

shared by Carol Price on 04 Apr 12 - No Cached
    • Carol Price
       
      Denise, this is my favorite site that I use most often. It allows you to convert files for free. I use it for downloading online videos and saving them to PowerPoint presentations. My screen name for Diigolet is cprice143. Carol
Peggy Steinbronn

Zamzar - free online converter - 0 views

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    This site allows users to convert all types of files into different formats.
Tyler Youngers

http://www.teachingquality.org/sites/default/files/users/user4405/Poster%20and%20eviden... - 1 views

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    As online learning becomes one of the common ways to learn in the 21st century, we must continue to ask ourselves if the 21st century online classroom we create is teaching 21st century skills or if the online classroom created is simply a repository for once paper assignments that have now gone "digital".
tvalline

Articles: Presentation "Awakening" - 5 views

    • medidiigo
       
      And all this time I thought it was just my own inability to stay focused...No wonder we begin to "zone out" when someone reads their slides to us.
  • PowerPoint is a medium
    • medidiigo
       
      a very valid point. It is, afterall, only a tool. It is how we choose to use the tool that really matters. A challenging and freeing thought.
    • nathanjenkins
       
      Yes.  I could have benefited from a quick course a long time ago.  I believe sometimes we are too caught up in learning the tool and lose the meaning behind it.
  • it is more difficult to process information if it is coming at you both verbally and in written form at the same time.
    • medidiigo
       
      No wonder I have felt frustrated when a presenter is reading his bullet points to the group. This explains our tendency to mentally "check out" after about the third slide full of text.
    • nathanjenkins
       
      I am guilty of this presenter fault.  No wonder my students seemed to check out.  Even after I gave them a sheet to follow along and take notes.  It would have been much better if I didn't say anything at all and just let them read and write the information.
  • ...26 more annotations...
  • Talking about pollution in Houston? Instead of giving me four bullet points of EPA data, why not read me the stats but show me a photo of a bunch of dead birds, some smog and even a diseased lung? This is cheating! It’s unfair! It works.
  • Talking about pollution in Houston? Instead of giving me four bullet points of EPA data, why not read me the stats but show me a photo of a bunch of dead birds, some smog and even a diseased lung? This is cheating! It’s unfair! It works
    • medidiigo
       
      A picture is worth a thousand words. It's time we tap into the power of the emotional connection in our presentations. Students and colleagues will remember major points because they are connected to an emotionally charged visual image.
  • Once a younger worker hears the story of what happened to the poor guy who didn’t wear his hardhat on the factory floor, he never forgets the lesson (and he never forgets to wear his hardhat). Stories get our attention and are easier to remember than lists of rules
    • medidiigo
       
      I love this example. It does a good job of emphasizing the importance of using stories. The story in this example was much more effective than a memo because it struck a chord with the listener who was able to visualize the consequences of not heeding the warning.
    • nathanjenkins
       
      I really enjoy the push for storytelling in this article.  I find the lack of storytelling in our school system one of the great demises.  Everyone craves a good story, everyone needs a good story.  Many cultures thrive on storytelling as one of their main forms of education.
  • If everything is important, then nothing is important. If everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority.
  • “Curse of Knowledge.” The Curse of Knowledge is essentially the condition whereby the deliverer of the message cannot imagine what it’s like not to possess his level of background knowledge on the topic. When he speaks in abstractions to the audience, it makes perfect sense to him but him alone. In his mind, it seems simple and obvious. The six principles—SUCCESs—are your weapons, then, to fight your own Curse of Knowledge (we all have it).
    • medidiigo
       
      So they are saying that we assume that our audience understands background knowledge at the same level that we do. Isn't it true that we don't want to bore people with information that they already know? Seems like a fine line...
  • it is more effective to target both the visual and auditory processors of working memory
  • One of the components for creating sticking messages is story
    • merle64
       
      Absolutely true!  Our whole lives are a series of stories, with universal truths and we not only reveal ourselves through sharing our stories, we help others feel understood, too.  Wrap a difficult, abstract concept in a story, and you've just created a connecting experience for the audience.  It takes discernment, however, to recognize the stories that communicate our message the very best.
    • tvalline
       
      In addition, we need to make sure these stories are relevant and concise as possible so we don't lose our audience in the details.
  • Research shows that visuals (animation) plus concise, simultaneous narration is better than just narration alone.
    • merle64
       
      A master at this is author and speaker Patrick Lencioni.  His presentations are filled with creative visuals and funny, informative, research-based content that make a person think in new ways.
  • Communication is about getting others to adopt your point of view, to help them understand why you’re excited (or sad, or optimistic or whatever else you are.)If all you want to do is create a file of facts and figures, then cancel the meeting and send in a report.
    • merle64
       
      I love this!  It is both a gift and an art to be able to successfully help people understand "why you're excited, sad, etc."  And it can't be manufactured--it has to be at least somewhat organic in that the presenter truly has to believe in what he/she is communicating, and see purpose driving it. The audience can perceive inauthenticity quickly.
  • If you believe in your idea, sell it. Make your point as hard as you can and get what you came for. Your audience will thank you for it, because deep down, we all want to be sold.
    • merle64
       
      I would add that some people, depending on their personality, "buy in" easier than others.  Some are intrinsically skeptical at first--and it's a slower process to form a connection with the speaker. Our history also has something to do with this.  If we're used to long-winded, uninteresting speakers, we may form a initial resistance against any presenter.  That makes the presenter's job an even more complex (but fascinating!) challenge.  
  • No more than six words on a slide. EVER. There is no presentation so complex that this rule needs to be broken.
    • merle64
       
      This is a challenge!  When I'm working with elementary students on writing lessons, I've used real rough drafts of some of my picture book manuscripts to show the evolution from rough draft to finished picture book.  Lots of text, with me reading. If I'm most honest, it's also the time in the presentation when I feel like I'm losing their attention.  I amp up my theatrics, but that's not enough.  There has to be a better way to show visually  how making changes to a rough draft can dramatically improve the text.  
  • Communication is about getting others to adopt your point of view, to help them understand why you’re excited (or sad, or optimistic or whatever else you are.)If all you want to do is create a file of facts and figures, then cancel the meeting and send in a report.
  • Cognitive load theory
    • Joe Brekke
       
      I'm excited to learn more about this. 
  • Most of us know intuitively (or through experience) that presenting to an audience with text-filled slides does not work, but others — your boss perhaps — may need more convincing.
    • Joe Brekke
       
      With the abundance of district-led presentations we must suffer through each year, it seems that this class should be part of every administrative credential program.
  • Communication is the transfer of emotion.
    • Joe Brekke
       
      This is crucial. I've rarely been moved by an all-staff presentation. A few times, at national conferences with polished speakers, I've had moments of emotional connection. But it is too rare. 
    • marydirksen
       
      First things first. Create emotion to engage the brain.
    • tvalline
       
      Exactly.  Emotion creates connection and this promotes retention.
  • Our brains have two sides. The right side is emotional, musical and moody. The left side is focused on dexterity, facts and hard data.
    • Joe Brekke
       
      Last year, in the course "Examing: Teaching with the Brain in Mind," we learned this was not true. We were told the brain is not divided into hemispheres as previously thought. The entire brain is working together at the same time. It was a great class, and it is having a profound impact on my teaching (and learning!). 
  • Bullets Are For the NRA
    • Joe Brekke
       
      I love this!
  • “Our mission is to become the international leader in the space industry through maximum team-centered innovation and strategically targeted aerospace initiatives.” Or “...put a man on the moon and return him safely by the end of the decade.”
  • Surprise people.
    • Joe Brekke
       
      This is so risky! I love people who take risks!
  • First, make yourself cue cards.
    • marydirksen
       
      This is where I need to start creating power points for my audience and NOT just so that I can keep track of my content
  • Second, make slides that reinforce your words, not repeat them
    • marydirksen
       
      Obvious , but true.
  • its essential meaning
    • marydirksen
       
      We all want this. Get to the point!
  • real things
    • marydirksen
       
      That's how we learn, by introducing new ideas with context.
  • No dissolves, spins or other transitions.
    • tvalline
       
      Good to know.  I always thought this helped keep the interest of my audience.  I guess the interest would be on the transition and not on what I'm trying to get them to learn.
  • It is not enough to take people through a laundry list of talking points and information on your slides; you must make them feel something.
    • tvalline
       
      This gets to the root of making information stick.  We must appeal to emotion.  
  • people can not read and listen well at the same time
    • tvalline
       
      This is a key point I think presenters, including myself, often forget.
Barbara Day

Favorite Moodle Uses | Megan Hayes-Golding - 0 views

  • If you hear Moodle is ugly remember most folks are comparing it to commercial tools like Schoology. Those tools draw you in with a Facebook-like appearance but the tradeoff of less functionality kills it for me.
  • I’ve embedded Google Calendars, YouTube videos, and Dropbox files into Moodle pages
  • In its basic mode, Moodle lets you post files for kids to download, post links, and host your PowerPoint notes.
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  • Where Moodle really stands out is with the question bank and quiz/test  options.
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    Article about Moodle uses
mcgillicutty

Skype | Free calls to friends and family - 0 views

shared by mcgillicutty on 08 Feb 16 - No Cached
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    This is the Skype website. This is great for video calls, free phone calls on the computer, sending files, and pictures.
aaronpals

Implementation in an Elementary Classroom (Articles) - 1 views

  • physical redesign of your classroom based on different examples of learning zones and flexible learning spaces
    • mriniker
       
      I recently obtained my own room after sharing for several years. I finally could design learning zones and reevaluate our current flexible seating. It has definitely changed our learning for the better.
  • We introduce the different types of classroom learning environments.
    • jessicamotto
       
      When trying to introduce different classroom environments we must sometimes deal with less enlightened administrators. We can not always get what we want/need.
    • anonymous
       
      I agree - more flexible learning environments is not always ideal in some situations. The resources needed to make Personalized Learning effective are not always available to us. What do we do then?
  • Inquiry-based instruction, a teaching technique rooted in questioning —
    • jessicamotto
       
      I have always thought that this is the best form of education and have used it whenever possible, sometimes to the head shakes of administrators. It really works well with students of all ages and abilities.
  • ...18 more annotations...
  • Marcon tracked children from preschool through the third and fourth grades and found that those with “overly academic” preschool experiences struggled in their later elementary years when they were expected to “think more independently and take on greater responsibility for their own learning process.
    • jessicamotto
       
      Agree, but we must be careful that academics are not forgotten completely. I have encountered students who have come into kindergarten very independent and lacking the ability to spell their pwn names.
    • aaronpals
       
      Definitely something to be wary of...guided play might be a better term that would make me more comfortable in this case. I think with the right prompts they can have freedom to play with an end in mind, as well.
  • In an ideal world, someone would tell you any important details from a child's school record before she arrives in your class. But in reality, you may need to do the research yourself.
    • jessicamotto
       
      In an ideal world, someone would do the appropriate assessments and then include them in the student's file. Research is key, I try to observe my future students in their current class room whenever possible.
    • mriniker
       
      Student PEP's (personalized education plans are a great tool to ensure the next teacher or school knows the most important things about a student. This means the teacher can better meet the needs of the student quickly instead of re-learning what another has already discovered. Unfortunately, it is rare to receive that kind of information and we must dig further which sometimes requires a lot of work and time to get answers.
    • ashleyteunissen
       
      This is especially true for students with IEP's already in place from another district.  Reading it before can give you background and an idea of how to approach the student to assess where they are.  
  • Read students' files. In an ideal world, someone would tell you any important details from a child's school record before she arrives in your class. But in reality, you may need to do the research yourself.
    • mriniker
       
      Creating personalized education plans for students or some sort of information that passes on from one school or teacher helps us get a better start with students. If we can start with a student knowing they do better in certain environments or with accommodations we do not need to re-learn over weeks what someone else has discovered. This allows us to meet students needs quickly. Unfortunately it is rare that we see that information without spending time digging for it.
  • inventory assessment of existing resources and from a repository of tools and apps that support learners in your classroom.
    • anonymous
       
      I have been wondering about this! It has been clear that students are supposed to have control over their learning topic and resources. Form an elementary perspective it is necessary to preteach about theses learning resources. I'm glad to finally read this.
  • Although her natural inclination is “to help my students when they’re stumped or confused, I need constantly to remind myself that when I supply an answer or even suggest a method for finding an answer, I’m not truly helping.”
    • anonymous
       
      This is so true! I am constantly facing this challenge. Another important challenge faced with inquiry based learning is time... unfortunately it is a reality that lessons and units have time limits. It makes it hard to always follow your desire to use these practices.
  • “Giving them directions all the time takes away from the creative process and imagination, which a lot of my kids are lacking,” she says, “because they’re so used to being spoon-fed information that they can barely critically think.”
    • anonymous
       
      Sadly, our traditional education system does take out this play time and creativity. I've been a teacher for 7 years and I started during the beginning implementation of the Common Core Standards. There has been such focus on rigor and DOK that learning experiences have become so bland and structured. Students have almost been trained to wait for instruction to do anything.
    • mriniker
       
      I agree! When I began to let my students select some of their learning they had no idea how to approach it, they wanted me to tell them what to do. In a world with so many opportunities our students lack the ability to really begin outside the box thinking.
    • cgerbracht
       
      I taught kindergarten for six years. Over that short amount of time, I saw a decline in critical thinking as we constantly pushed content on students. As a first grade teacher, I continue to see this decline, as well as a major lack of social/coping skills.
  • Practice procedures for independent and collaborative work. Forest Lake's rule of thumb is that each procedure needs to be practiced 28 times to stick. When you introduce a new activity, such as independently listening to an audio book, give students enough practice to become adept at it. Then add another. Eventually, you'll be able to work with a small group while the other children learn without your constant supervision.
    • anonymous
       
      This really emphasizes how long it takes to establish a learning environment that works for personalized learning. Especially in elementary everything needs to be pre-taught and prepared.
    • anonymous
       
      I'm still going back and forth on how I could even begin to structure my own classroom environment to implement personalized learning. It seems like so much work, not that it wouldn't be worth it, time and energy to teach expectations with no definite outcome. I don't know how my students will handle it. Will they take it and run with it? Will they struggle being self-directed learners and make it seem like I've restructured my classroom for nothing?!
    • cgerbracht
       
      I'm also struggling on where to start. I'm trying to decide which "baby steps" will be the most beneficial for my students. Like you mentioned, it will be a lot of work, so you want to make sure that it will be beneficial.
  • Arrange desks into collaborative clusters or stations. The key is to give your classroom flexibility and enable varied work to go on at once. Include options for sitting on the floor, which is better for kids who don't learn as well while sitting still in a chair.
    • mriniker
       
      This is something that really changes how students work. We have different types of learning areas and the kids can work together or in a quiet space if that is there preference. We also have a variety of flexible seating, students love having choices and seem to be more focused when they are comfortable. Days are long when sitting in a chair all day and they get squirmy.
    • ashleyteunissen
       
      Absolutely agree!  Sometimes (especially with special education students in my experience) they just need to refocus and moving to a different area with different seating works so well! 
  • continually resist the temptation to lead her students through lessons
    • anonymous
       
      I feel like this would be the hardest part of personalized learning for teachers new to the implementation process. Stepping back from leading students through how to do something and letting them explore/learn on their own. The teacher part of me would want to constantly interject to see where they need help or how they are doing!
  • If we don't give kids a chance to experiment, they may not know they're good at something or like it
    • anonymous
       
      This statement is very interesting to me and I feel like this has happened to me several times before. For example, I've had several experiences when a student struggles with place value but then excels when we get to our multiplication unit. In place value I don't tend to use a lot of manipulatives but when we get to multiplication it is taught very visually to begin with. Maybe that's what a child needs in order to excel - a chance to manipulate and experiment. I need to look into ways other than base-ten blocks on how I can add in manipulatives with my place value unit.
  • s Thinking Maps,
    • cgerbracht
       
      This is a new idea to me. After I looked into it, I realize many of the eight "Thinking Map" are graphic organizers I am familiar with, I am not using them with my first graders. This is something I want to begin to do.
  • if there’s no place for play in the classroom, “then there’s no place for children in the classroom
    • cgerbracht
       
      What a powerful quote!! Something important for all educators to remember--no matter the age of the child!
  • With young children, you can have them draw a smiley or sad face in response to questions like, "Do you like drawing pictures?" Then you'll be better armed to play to their passions and strengths.
    • ashleyteunissen
       
      I love this idea in order to survey younger children, I always struggle with how to give them more input for personalized learning.
  • You can check instantly using a simple thumbs-up/thumbs-down question-and-answer or, if you have them, electronic remote clickers. Forest Lake curriculum coordinator Marian Scullion suggests using an exit slip; after a lesson, have students write their answers to a quick question about what they've learned. Then, use that feedback to plan for the next day.
    • ashleyteunissen
       
      These are examples of "Total participation techniques"- the AEA offers a class covering this technique in getting students more involved in their learning, and to help teachers better assess student progress in order to tailor teaching to reach all students.
  • Share planning duties with a fellow teacher. Find someone at your school who shares your passion for differentiated instruction and join forces. Divide up the work; each of you can devise different versions of a lesson for different learning styles and abilities. Plus, once you get a few people excited about this effort, it can be contagious.
    • ashleyteunissen
       
      Such a great idea!  I see so much competition in some teacher relationships, when if they would work together it would benefit the both of them!  I also feel students can better collaborate when grade levels do similar activities, so even when friends or siblings are in different sections, they can still support one another because they are doing similar or the same skills.  Grade level sections who work together seem to be happier and have greater success with students.  Two heads are better than one! 
  • This is a simple chart on which each student writes what she already knows ("K") about a given topic, what she wants to know ("W"), and then -- to be filled out at the end of the lesson -- what she actually learned ("L"). You can use these charts like cheat sheets to spot strengths or gaps in students' base knowledge.
    • aaronpals
       
      Or a pre-test, especially if you might be work on an adaptive OLP. One of the programs I was looking at allowed teachers to assign targeted lessons as starting points if they knew what their student's skills were.
  • You can also provide struggling students with leveled text -- less difficult reading that contains the same content."
    • aaronpals
       
      This reminded me of something you could put in The Google. A quick search of non-lingual representations could provide useful ideas for ESL and students with IEPs.
  • gives them a lot more than what I can give them teaching straight from a textbook all day.”
    • aaronpals
       
      And a chance to exercise social skills beyond a completely structured set up.
verploeg

8 Ways to Engage eLearners Infographic - e-Learning Infographics - 0 views

  • 8 Ways to Engage eLearners Infographic
    • verploeg
       
      Since this is a graphic file, I can't put comments within the graphic itself.   First, read through this graphic.  Good suggestions for business that mirror that of education.   Second, keep scrolling down.  Notice the text of the same info.  Ask yourself which you'd rather read!  Without saying anything, the made a significant point by following the infographic with the text.
Mary Blaisdell

5 Strategies for Using Wikis in the Classroom: Engaging Students in Technology Projects... - 1 views

    • Mary Blaisdell
       
      A wiki can store websites and resources teachers may need for a collaborative or joint unit of instruction.
  • Teachers can store files, images, videos, and other information in a special teacher access controlled area of the classroom Wiki.
  •  
    "This technology tool is ideal for project-based learning, cross curricular projects in middle school teams, and thematic units. One advantage of Wikis in collaborative projects is that they are online."
A Hughes

elearnspace › learning, networks, knowledge, technology, community - 0 views

  • The open access debate Wednesday, October 19, 2011 At the EDUCAUSE 2011 conference today, I had the pleasure of attending a lecture by Hal Abelson – founding director of Free Software Foundation and Creative Commons. He presented on the state of openness in education. While on the surface openness is gaining traction through scholarship and publication, content providers and journal publishers are starting to push back. During the talk, he used the image below (from this article – .pdf) to argue that journal publishers have a monopoly. The surface progress of openness belies a deeper, more dramatic period of conflict around openness that is only now beginning.
    • A Hughes
       
      As a librarian, I am very interested in the topic of open access. The image of the commercial Journal Publishers is very revealing. I did not realize that Elsevier owned so much of the academic content. I would like to know what other information I can find by Hal Abelson.
Keith Bonnstetter

ollie1reppert: Iowa Online Course Standards - 0 views

  • Sufficient learning resources and materials to increase student success are available to students
    • anonymous
       
      Having an online presence really makes this possible because you can easily increase the resources and materials available to students. For instance, on my Google site, I have links to other resources where students can go for help if they do not understand a concept, such as the textbook site, writing skills sites, and study skills sites.
  • Academic integrity and netiquette (Internet etiquette) expectations regarding lesson activities, discussions, e-mail communications and plagiarism are clearly stated • Privacy policies are clearly stated. • The self-introduction by the instructor is appropriate and available online, and students are likewise asked to introduce themselves to the class. (CP) • The course provider offers orientation training.
    • anonymous
       
      All four of these are very important, but I have to say that my course currently lacks each of these. I'm wondering if since my course is partially online and partially in person if all of these are necessary to have in the online component, or if it counts as long as it is covered at one point, whether it be online or in person.
    • LeAnne Wagner
       
      This is an area that often gets overlooked.  It is a skill just like any of the technical skills--knowing the online etiquette, etc.  
  • The course makes maximum appropriate use of online tools outside of the CMS (including email, web 2.0, chat, videoconferencing, and whiteboard) to enhance learning
    • LeAnne Wagner
       
      So many times, you see schools that have their teachers use a CMS like Moodle and that is the extent of their technology use--it is only one way to utilize.  There are many ways to deeply integrate these types of tools in the classroom.
    • Josh Hetrick
       
      I have really started to think this year how to connect with students using my Promethean board at school.
  • ...17 more annotations...
  • The course instructions articulate or link to a clear description of the technical support offered.
    • Steve Butler
       
      got to have the technical support... learners will get discouraged or quit w/o it!
    • Robin Olberding
       
      I highly agree.
  • The course is easy and logical to navigate, including self-describing links
    • Steve Butler
       
      I think it is very important to remove potential barriers to learning. Confusion leads to shutdown.
  • Technologies are chosen that are accessible to students
    • Josh Hetrick
       
      It's important to remember when placing items on a website that are downloadable to choose programs that most students have. What I am thinking is when using the latest version of microsoft that some students don't have to convert to a pdf file.
  • Specific and descriptive criteria, including rubrics, are provided for the evaluation of students’ work and participation
    • Josh Hetrick
       
      I have really started to use more rubrics in my teaching and students find it useful. I really think when students are allowed to help create the rubric it makes their learning more powerful and gives them a sense of ownership.
  • A clear, complete course overview and syllabus are included in the course
    • Andy Denton
       
      This is the best way to start all classes. everyone knows what is expected and there ar eno questions as to what is going to be done in the class.
  • Ongoing and frequent assessments are conducted to verify each student’s readiness for the next lesson.
    • Andy Denton
       
      The question then becomes what to do when some are ready to move on abd the others are not quite there yet. Stay with the topic and bore some, or go on and lose others.
  • The course content and assignments are of sufficient rigor, depth, and breadth to teach the standards being addressed
    • Andy Denton
       
      They have to be challenged to the point just before frustration.
  • clearly state what the participants will know or be able to do at the end of the course
    • anonymous
       
      I appreciate knowing upfront what I am expected to do and what I will learn in a course! Clarity is great!
  • Course instructions answer basic questions related to research, writing, technology, etc., or link to tutorials or other resources that provide the information.
    • anonymous
       
      The issue that I see as a concern is that tutorials become outdated as soon as a tool updates and the interface/operations change. Keeping the tutorials current is another job for the instructor.
  • The course provides opportunities for appropriate student interaction with the content to foster mastery and application of the material.
  • The course provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student and student-student interaction to foster mastery and application of the material and a plan for monitoring that interaction.
    • anonymous
       
      Student interaction can be so powerful! One of the best ways to learn!
  • The course instruction includes activities that engage students in active learning.
    • Kristy Cleppe
       
      The ability to utilize online resources and course work provides many opportunities for students to actively engage themselves and what they learn with in a course. Some hands on activities can be utilized within a moodle
  • Instructions make clear how to get started and where to find various course components.
    • Kristy Cleppe
       
      This is one reason I truly enjoy utilizing a moodle with in my classroom. It limits handouts and creates a great opportunity for me to provide very detailed instructions about assigments, activities or projects. When students are absent they can access this information in order to be prepared for the next class.
  • The course provides opportunities for students to engage in higher-order thinking, critical-reasoning activities and thinking in increasingly complex ways.
    • Keith Bonnstetter
       
      This is extremely important for AP classes. The students need to reach this level of thinking skills in order to perform well on the AP exam.
    • Keith Bonnstetter
       
      This is extremely important so that the students know exactly what they must do. It is hard to get to the final destination if the map is unclear.
  • The requirements for student work, including student interaction, are clearly articulated.
herdegenk

ollie1: Iowa Online Course Standards - 0 views

  • The requirements for student work, including student interaction, are clearly articulated
    • herdegenk
       
      When you give instruction in class, it is much more convenient and easier for students to ask you to clarify any part of the assignment.  Instructions and requirements given online need to be much more articulated than if they were read in class. 
  • All resources and materials used in the course are appropriately cited and obey copyright and fair use.
    • herdegenk
       
      Can someone clarify something for me?  I was once told that I could post a document to a website for educational purposes as long as the website was password protected.  For example, I could make a copy out of a textbook, convert it to a pdf file and post it to my Moodle website so students wouldn't have to bring their textbook home with them to complete an assignment.  Is this disobeying copyright laws.
Evan Abbey

ollie4_1: Building a Better Mousetrap - 0 views

    • Kay Durfey
       
      The idea that the rubric is genuinely "assessing what students have actually learned rather than what they have been taught" is certain what all educators and trainer (for work environments) are aiming for.
    • Heather Whitman
       
      You nailed it Kay. A teacher must use this to help them teach, not just give the grade.
    • Kay Durfey
       
      If rubrics were designed and implemented correctly students and teacher could see where the thinking of the student was on target and where they went wrong.
    • Heather Whitman
       
      I think if the rubric is "good" (that is a hard word to use but pretend it fits well), then you can have students assess themselves and together with the teacher 4 or 5 times in the writing process on certain aspects of the rubric to help with the writing process. The piece I wish I would have implemented more (and can but a little tricky as the teacher librarian) was to have families assess with the student as well and to ask a family or 2 BEFORE beginning if they understand what the big assignment & rubric is about and to assess whether the rubric means what it should from their perspectives. If they don't get it, redo it!
    • Aaron Evans
       
      Rubrics are a great tool to build self-assessment skills in all subjects. Two years ago I led my department in an effort to create a self-assessment startegy that builds the abiltity of students to self-assess their learning in math class. Part of this was creating a rubric that measures their progress from 6 to 12 grade. Now we have to go back and refine the rubric, because it is defintiely not to the "good" stage yet.
    • Heather Whitman
       
      I think it is good for students to be involved. They see that teachers change as well and aren't always right about everything.
  • Moreover, rubrics can help the student with self-assessment; what is most important here is not the final product the students produce, but the habits of mind practiced in the act of self-assessment. However, for the student to successfully use a rubric this way, the criteria must be made clear to them and the jargon used must not only be understandable to the student but also be linked specifically to classroom instruction.
    • Lisa Jacobs
       
      I think the most important use of a rubric is to communicate "quality" work and expectations to students.
    • Lisa Jacobs
       
      Using the rubric to self evaluate their own work.
  • ...23 more annotations...
  • Moreover, some teachers have noticed how students who were good writers become wooden when writing under the influence of a rubric. Dona Patrick, an elementary school teacher noticed that while her sixth grade students did well on their state writing test, those students who had been natural writers, those students who had “stylistic voices full of humor and surprises, produced less interesting essays when they followed the rules [as outlined in a rubric]” (Mathews).
    • Kay Durfey
       
      I think that writing with a rubric only becomes "wooden" if teachers present the idea and implementation of rubrics as a formula rather than a "guideline or set of criteria" that have been noted in effective writing.
    • Aaron Evans
       
      I think that the inclusion of minmum numbers of references/usages is the leading cause of this. If you give a student a minimum, it becomes the target and all they care about. Just tell them you will look for something done well and you get better and more natural results.
    • jquandahl
       
      Something else that might help to keep students' writing from becoming "wooden" would be to have examples of great writing and discuss how those pieces meet the guidelines of the rubric. I think this shows studnets that they can continue to use their own style when writing - as long as they also pay attention to the expectations of the assignment
  • Rubrics can be designed to measure either product or process or both; and, they can be designed with dimensions describing the different levels of that “deep learning” so valued in WAC programs.
    • Kay Durfey
       
      I absolutely agree that rubrics can assess more than a product; it can and should assess the process or "thinking process."
  • cross the board; meanwhile, the teacher that uses specific rubrics is always composing new descriptions of quality work, but their students have cle
  • Consequentially, when rubrics are published in the classroom, students striving to achieve the descriptions at the higher end of the scale in effect guide their own learning. We must keep in mind, however, that other aspects of good pedagogical practice play into student success: rubrics that are outside of the students “zone of proximal development” are useless to the students.
    • Kay Durfey
       
      Interesting.
  • Usually a numerical value is assigned to each point on a scale. You can weight dimensions differently if you feel that one dimension is more important than another. There are two ways in which you can express this value judgment: 1. You may give a dimension more weight by multiplying the point by a number greater than one. For example, if you have four dimensions (content, organization, support, conventions) each rated on a six-point scale, and you wish to emphasis the importance of adequate support, you could multiply the support score by two. 2. You may devise scales of unequal length, which would mean that the shorter scales would count less than the longer ones. For example, organization, support, and content could each be rated on separate 6 point scales, while punctuation and / or spelling could be rated on separate 3 point scales. A paper that was well organized and punctuated would yield 6 for organization and 3 for punctuation. A paper that was perfectly punctuated but poorly organized might yield a 3-3 score.
    • Kay Durfey
       
      This paragraph about weighting certain  parts of the rubric goes directly to what our group was discussing last week regarding our rubric we were creating. This is a kind of how-to.
    • A Hughes
       
      Yes, this explains how a multiplier can be used to show some criteria weighted. I would like to see examples of rubrics using weights.
    • jquandahl
       
      This is nice explanation of how to assign different weights. When we were discussing it lsat week, I think I was making the process more difficult in my own head! I would also like to see examples. I think that weighting dimensions of n ssignment differently can be very helpful in focusing on the most important aspects of an assignment.
    • Bob Pauk
       
      I agree that this weighting could help to fix one of the possible problems with rubrics. When you give the same points for various categories sometimes you are giving an easy way to get a grade without always doing the most important part of the learning.
  • Or you can build your own rubric from scratch—convert existing revision or discovery heuristics into rubrics; convert comments that used to show up on A, B, C, D, and F papers into descriptive phrases, or start completely anew. The Chicago Public Schools web-site offers simple guidelines to follow when designing your own rubric. If you visit the web page I cut and pasted this from, you will find that each item is hyperlinked to a full explanation of the step.
    • Kay Durfey
       
      Creating own rubric can  be very effective but also time consuming.
    • jquandahl
       
      Creating rubrics with the help of students is something that I found very effective when I was in the classroom. Studnets had more ownership of the work and a very clear understanding of expectations when they were part of the process of creating the rubric.
  • Clearly defining the purpose of assessment and what you want to assess is the first step in developing a quality rubric. The second step is deciding who your audience is going to be. If the rubric is primarily used for instruction and will be shared with your students, then it should be non-judgemental, free of educational jargon, and reflect the critical vocabulary that you use in your classroom.
  • well-designed rubrics help instructors in all disciplines meaningfully assess the outcomes of the more complicated assignments that are the basis of the problem-solving, inquiry-based, student-centered pedagogy replacing the traditional lecture-based, teacher-centered approach in tertiary education.
    • Aaron Evans
       
      This is really where the Iowa/Common Core is taking us. How many teachers are going to be prepared with ways to measure how their students are progressing in problem solving before the students are being assessed with the new assessments? Since the new state assessments are supposed to emphasize these skills more, will more teachers need to use rubrics to meaure these skills rather than just thinking that rubrics are for judging the quality of writing or projects?
  • they should articulate the vital features that they are looking for and make these features known to the student
    • keri bass
       
      I think the key here is whether or not the rubric is written in a way that is user friendly. Sometimes, they get so specific that they are too long and the reader stops reading. I would think this would be a problem with kids in particular.
  • The result is many students struggle blindly, especially non-traditional, unsuccessful, or under-prepared students, who tend to miss many of the implied expectations of a college instructor, expectations that better prepared, traditional students readily internalize.
    • Aaron Evans
       
      This is true at all levels of education, not just high school. How often had you had a student who was struggling on an assessment and after having the expectations explained to them in a different way completed it easily?
    • keri bass
       
      Absolutely, it is frustrating as a teacher for students to struggle with understanding an assignment and not perform well because of lack of understanding the directions and not the information. I find that in an online environment, this can be even more problematic.  Directions and rubrics that I feel are clearly written, are easily misunderstood by others, and people who would have gleaned understanding from questions others asked in class, feel silly asking questions themselves.
  • rubrics, in effect, dehumanize the act of writing. According to Thomas Newkirk, an English professor at the University of New Hampshire, “rubrics promote ‘mechanical instruction in writing’ that bypasses ‘the human act of composing and the human gesture of response’” (Mathews).
    • Aaron Evans
       
      How do computerized essay graders fit into this? This would seem to be a direct attack on their use.
  • if we have assigned ourselves the task of getting a good rubric to use, we need a rubric to judge our performance—that is, we need a meta-rubric to assess our rubric.
    • Aaron Evans
       
      Hadn't thought abou tthis but it totally makes sense. We already do this reflection, as was evidenced by our rubric activity last week, but having the rubric to frame our thoughts makes the process much more efficienct.
    • jquandahl
       
      interesting point
  • When instructors do not explicitly delineate the qualities of thought that they are looking for while grading, they reduce learning to a hit or miss endeavor, where “assessment remains an isolated […] activity and the success of the learner is mostly incidental” (Montgomery).
  • When instructors do not explicitly delineate the qualities of thought that they are looking for while grading, they reduce learning to a hit or miss endeavor, where “assessment remains an isolated […] activity and the success of the learner is mostly incidental” (Montgomery).
  • When instructors do not explicitly delineate the qualities of thought that they are looking for while grading, they reduce learning to a hit or miss endeavor, where “assessment remains an isolated […] activity and the success of the learner is mostly incidental” (Montgomery). T
  • Moreover, some teachers have noticed how students who were good writers become wooden when writing under the influence of a rubric.
  • A rubric with two or more separate scales is called an analytical rubric, as it takes apart or breaks up the rating system for each trait; a rubric that uses only a single scale is called a holistic rubric. A holistic rubric is more efficient and the best choice when criteria overlap and cannot be adequately separated; an analytical rubric, however, will yield more detailed information about student performance and, therefore, will provide the student with more specific feedback.
  • A rubric with two or more separate scales is called an analytical rubric, as it takes apart or breaks up the rating system for each trait; a rubric that uses only a single scale is called a holistic rubric. A holistic rubric is more efficient and the best choice when criteria overlap and cannot be adequately separated; an analytical rubric, however, will yield more detailed information about student performance and, therefore, will provide the student with more specific feedback.
  • The issue of weighting may be another area in which you can enlist the help of students. At the beginning of the process, you could ask a student to select to select which aspect she values the most in her writing and weight that aspect when you assess her paper.
    • Heather Whitman
       
      I kept this private: oops: I am always amazed how students self-assess themselves. I was a language arts teachers and did a lot of writing. When I ask students today or in the past, how they think they did, I was floored how some of the writings/projects I thought were great, assessed themselves negatively, and the ones I thought needed more work, gave/give themselves exceeds. It takes a lot of good modeling and scaffolding for students to fairly assess themselves. For the ones that big time missed the assignment goals and self-assess themselves well, it really goes back to the teacher going back and reteaching again to help improve learning.
    • Heather Whitman
       
      Oops- I kept this private. How many teachers did I have that graded in red? I remember many especially in math and writing all over writing assignments. I used to think that the assignment was complete, it was time to move on, and I just had to accept what they said. Rubrics do give the student a voice when they self assess. I find it interesting it is rooted in the word red or reddish.
    • Evan Abbey
       
      These are good questions... red is a color we have pre-conceptions about.
  • While many educators make a compelling argument for sharing rubrics with students, others worry that doing so will encourage formulaic writing. That “rubric” is listed in most thesauruses as a synonym for “formula” does nothing to dismantle such fears. Well-designed rubrics, though, should not do this; unfortunately, most state issued rubrics used in secondary school standardized testing are poorly designed rubrics that list specific static elements encouraging students to simply make sure their essays have those features.
    • A Hughes
       
      The english teachers who attend Iowa Writing Project professional development are discouraged from using rubrics because of formulaic writing in students. These teachers are encouraged to only score a couple of criteria on each assignment instead of trying to "fix" all of the writing and discouraging students.
    • Heather Whitman
       
      I tok the Eastern Iowa Writing Project 8 years ago. Even when I taught, I told the kids, that I would give anything to not have to give them an actual grade. I followed the ideas and allowed them to write whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. I saw huge growth in their writing, but I know I did poorly "grading" them. I told them over and over to focus on writing process, trying to improve themselves, and comments I gave to help them improve.
    • Bob Pauk
       
      This is my biggest concern with rubrics. I am glad to see it articulated because I have been a little reluctant to share this because rubrics are so popular lately that it seems like I am being negative if I don't care for them. In my highest level projects, I expect students to "wow" me to get an A. It is hard to do that if you are simply following a formula.
    • Lisa Jacobs
       
      Yes, rubrics can limit creativity. We re-learned this with our Ollie group rubric assignment this week with the powerpoint and audio files that did not match the "written" rubric my group designed.
  • To begin with, rubrics can be either “general” or “specific.”
    • Lisa Jacobs
       
      This whole section reminded me of the Iowa ICAM assessments. I spent many years leading the scoring sessions for the ICAM reading and math assessment scoring sessions. The training was very intense with both general and specific rubrics for each item.
  •  
    I was in a class today sponsored by Intel. We discussed Habits of the Mind and how powerful it is for kids to self-assess their work & their learning.
  • ...3 more comments...
  •  
    This makes assessing sound like a game between teachers and students. Kids are lucky if they guess what teachers are assessing.
  •  
    Do kids become so engaged in meeting the requirements of the rubric that they aren't as fluent in their writing?
  •  
    I wasn't aware that rubrics were grouped into holistic and analytic. After reading the descriptions, I'm not sure that I've ever used a holistic rubric.
  •  
    The idea of having kids help create rubrics seems to be recurring.
  •  
    I usually get the best feedback from kids about various rubrics that I use. It helps me tweak it for the next time.
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