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stacey perkins

Voicethread in the classroom - 10 views

njea.org/...voicethread

web2.0 Technology classroom differentiation

shared by stacey perkins on 18 Sep 14 - No Cached
  • collaborative projects
    • stacey perkins
      stacey perkins on 18 Sep 14
       
      Voicethread works as an asynchronous discussion board, so students could work collaboratively in different class periods or locations.
    • Elizabeth Rodriguez
      Elizabeth Rodriguez on 18 Sep 14
       
      Stacey, I've not heard about Voicethread but I am excited to look into it and come back and comment more in depth on this web 2.0 tool. It's amazing just how much technology is out there for use in the classroom! I love it because I am always looking for innovative technology tools for our faculty to use in their courses!!
    • Gena Jean
      Gena Jean on 20 Sep 14
       
      This app was new to me as well, but I could definitely see where it could boost communication among students. As a design instructor I could definitely see how it could be used by students to help them in sharing their work and providing constructive criticism to one another's works.
    • Karla Fabiola Garcia
      Karla Fabiola Garcia on 20 Sep 14
       
      This tool is also new to me. I love what I have read so far and the different ways it can be incorporated into the classroom. I am defenitily sharing this with my colleagues and brainstorming on diffrent ways we can incorporate, as some of us don't have many computers in our classroom.
    • Maricela Gonzalez
      Maricela Gonzalez on 30 Sep 14
       
      My initial response to Stacey Perkins Article Post- As was stated in your link, it makes sense that "text alone can't deliver the subtlety and expression required for meaningful connections (http://njea.org/news-and-publications/njea-review/march-2011/voicethread)." Students need a place to be able to communicate and learn from each other. Not just via text, or typing forums- but also through real life asynchronous discussion boards. This allows students the ability to work together and collaborate to come up with some real solutions to problems. What I noticed about this particular medium, was that as an educator I would have the ability to use a webcam, and reach all types of students in that manner. It appears to be a good way for students to learn from each other, and really get into the lessons that are being taught.
    • Maricela Gonzalez
      Maricela Gonzalez on 30 Sep 14
       
      My 2nd reply- @Gena Jean- I agree with you that this application can help students communicate and thus collaborate with each other- in efforts to gain knowledge. It is important in today's world that our students are as tech savvy as possible, and so the incorporation of asynchronous technology such as this has so much value in today's educational realm. The students of today are living within the technology revolution. They grew up with smart phones, and my daughter who is only 1 year old…screams when I take away my phone because she in some way understands apps like "Candy Crush." She literally knows what to do to manipulate and thus communicate with the technology. It's truly amazing in that same regard, how Voice Thread can help even the shyest students come out of their shells. As educators we need to speak our students language and that is making sure that we learn as many technology driven programs as possible- such as Voice Thread and so on.
    • Pedro Rodriguez
      Pedro Rodriguez on 04 Dec 14
       
      @stacey perkins I have heard of voice thread but have not seen its potential in the classroom. I am glad you shared it with us. I a begin to start integrating discussion into lessons, I can see how voicethread is a good tool for students. This tool changes things up a bit, instead writing, one can record their voice. I also like the integration to LMSs.
  • You can look at examples of how other educators are using VoiceThread on its digital library or browse Ideas for using VoiceThread, a collection of 143 examples from the library
    • stacey perkins
      stacey perkins on 18 Sep 14
       
      If you aren't sure how you might incorporate Voicethread into your classroom/curriculum, check out how these teachers are using it.
    • sharonmahabir
      sharonmahabir on 24 Sep 14
       
      Thank you for the link. I have never used Voicethread in my classroom. I wanted to implement a new technology this year and I think Voicethread is a great tool that my PreK students will be able to use. I particularly liked the Brown Bear example. We do a Brown Bear unit at the beginning of the year and this would be a great way for students to represent their learning.
    • stacey perkins
      stacey perkins on 27 Sep 14
       
      Sharon, I have taught in the elementary grades for years, and have struggled to find tech tools that were user-friendly to my students. Their frustration threshold is low! But I think Voicethread would require minimal training.
    • Maricela Gonzalez
      Maricela Gonzalez on 30 Sep 14
       
      My 1st reply- @ Elizabeth Rodriguez- just like you I had never heard of Voice Thread. I think that it is definitely something that I can use in my classroom. Right now I'm really trying to use as much technology within my curriculum, but I really need to figure out which Web 2.0 technology is going to be the most effective for the amount of time that I have with my students. I will need to research a little more about this particular software, and I hope that I can find some online You Tube tutorials to help me figure out an easier way to use this platform.
    • Pedro Rodriguez
      Pedro Rodriguez on 04 Dec 14
       
      Wow, there are many examples one can use. I know sometimes the hardest part of web tools is learning how to integrate them into the curriculum. I can see the examples are also grouped together by subject. Best part is that educators can contribute to the examples.
  • Examples of classroom VoiceThreads
    • stacey perkins
      stacey perkins on 18 Sep 14
       
      Examples of some finished products...
  • ...3 more annotations...
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  • A single educator license is free and class and district memberships are reasonable
    • Pedro Rodriguez
      Pedro Rodriguez on 04 Dec 14
       
      Trying out the product at no cost is a great idea. By creating voicethreads, you can showcase your work and it becomes easier for the school of school district to see how it works. This can convince administration to purchase voicethread for the whole school or district.
  • rather than using text to talk about text (which doesn't jive when you're teaching art history)
    • stacey perkins
      stacey perkins on 18 Sep 14
       
      Since virtually all of my students are struggling readers (I'm a dyslexia teacher), I think they would be more engaged with--and more willing to respond to--pictures or videos than a written prompt.
  • stacey perkins on 18 Sep 14
     
    How could Voicethread be used in the classroom to differentiate instruction?
  • ...1 more comment...
  • Elizabeth Rodriguez on 21 Sep 14
     
    VoiceThread seems to be a great tool to have students interact with each other. I have found in my own experience that sometimes students have a difficult time sharing in person, in front of a classroom. VoiceThread would give students the ability to share their thoughts with the classroom on different assignments. I think its a great collaboration tool!! I would not hesitate to use it in my classroom!
  • mariavictoria1 on 18 Oct 14
     
    Hi Stacey! I have never heard of Voicethread but after reading the article you shared it seems like a very intriguing tool to use. What I loved the most about Voicethread is that it allows those with hearing impairments to collaborate through webcam commenting by using sign language. Thank you for sharing.
  • robertogarcia24 on 07 Dec 14
     
    It's very nice to hear about the voice threads. I've never actually used them before, but I've seen students present information using them. It looks like something I'll be looking into for my future classes. Thank you so much for sharing.
Araceli Gracia

Using Google Glass to Transform Education - 3 views

teach.com/...e-glass-to-transform-education

education technology classroom teaching computer

shared by Araceli Gracia on 02 Mar 14 - No Cached
    • Araceli Gracia
      Araceli Gracia on 02 Mar 14
       
      Perhaps Google Glass could also be used for students who can not go to school due to major injuries.
    • eeverett3
      eeverett3 on 03 Mar 14
       
      Google Glass is here, whether we like it or not! So our best course of action is to use the technology to our best advantage. I am a worrier, and I work in a high school, so in addition to the privacy issues, I worry about the distraction factor of students having all that access to IM etc. while they should be learning...however, that is a student choice! On the privacy issue, we already have students videotaping everything that ever happens (staged sometimes) and uploading to YouTube so we have to watch the internet sites constantly. I personally do not want people around me to video what I am doing and saying without my consent. Another area of technology outdistancing privacy laws. In the world of education, Glass will definitely make things faster and easier to record and upload. Some of the examples that have been given are great and we already have the technology to do this but not ready to go on a voice command...so that will be an advantage. I really like the teacher created examples at STEMbite... https://www.youtube.com/user/STEMbite A Glass user was at the ISTE conference in San Antonio last year and joked about the personal hazards of wearing Google Glass and having to focus on content and walking at the same time to avoid running into things. If everyone is about to look up how/where to get one, here is a Nov 2013 article on release dates and some changes that Google made becuase of privacy issues. http://www.techradar.com/us/news/video/google-glass-what-you-need-to-know-1078114/1
    • Araceli Gracia
      Araceli Gracia on 04 Mar 14
       
      I would probably get motion sickness wearing the glasses and bump into a few walls. I'm sure over time though, people get used to them and grow to love them. The STEMbite site had great examples of what it is to experience Google glass. Thanks for sharing.
    • Don Martin
      Don Martin on 04 Mar 14
       
      Google Glass is an interesting technology system. I was especially intrigued by the idea that a teacher could go to a remote location and present their class information from that place. I could see this advantage being used in all kinds of applications. I could have used this in my classroom to go into the operating room and discuss surgical procedures with my students as they occurred. It would have been great to be able to get feedback from the surgeon on students questions and to be able to talk about small details of anatomy and the steps of the procedures as they happened.
    • Jose Escobedo
      Jose Escobedo on 05 Mar 14
       
      How many times have we heard a teacher tell us, "I wish you guys were at the conference"? Well, Google Glass can alleviate that barrier. I understand sometimes presenters do not like to be recorded due to privacy or monetary issues but prior coordination with the presenter will allow students the opportunity to hear the presentation firsthand.
    • Merrill Redfern
      Merrill Redfern on 06 Mar 14
       
      What a very interesting and fascinating technology. The first thing that I thought of when I read through the description of Google Glass is how this technology could be used in a library setting. Libraries are not really known for their technology however, I believe, efforts are being made within many districts in moving forward into the digital age especially when they are faced with the inevitable. This article lists 7 ways Google Glass can be used in a Library setting. http://oedb.org/ilibrarian/6-things-libraries-can-do-with-google-glass/ I found number 7 especially interesting in that Google Glass has Voice Translation capability. Our school has recently enrolled three children who speak only Arabic and this type of technology would be very beneficial to them as they learn English. In addition and more fascinating, the article states there is talk regarding apps that will allow two people both wearing the Glass that can view the translations on their own screen.
    • eeverett3
      eeverett3 on 06 Mar 14
       
      Great points! I had not really thought about the adaptive technology uses for special education students. Thanks!
    • Araceli Gracia
      Araceli Gracia on 06 Mar 14
       
      Using Google Glass in the library setting is awesome. I liked number 2 because many times we do have special events going on in the library and it is just impossible for every classes to participate. For example, we had a Dr. Seuss celebration with guest readers from Target. They were dressed up and reading to the students, but not everyone was able to go. Using Google Glass would have allowed more students to be part of the fun.
    • Jose Escobedo
      Jose Escobedo on 10 Mar 14
       
      The military is rolling out an equivalent protype of Google Glass for its Special Forces units in order to provide better situational awareness in a combat environment.
    • Araceli Gracia
      Araceli Gracia on 12 Mar 14
       
      Jose, I can only imagine what an advantage this would be. I didn't even think about how it could help the military. Thanks for making that point.
  • Araceli Gracia on 02 Mar 14
     
    One of the goals is to have students become 21st century learners. This type of technology will help this happen and also be a way of creating Professional Learning Communities. Below is a short video from a teacher's perspective of Google Glass. http://binged.it/1cvMKqT
  • ...5 more comments...
  • lbanuelos on 03 Mar 14
     
    Google Glass could indeed transform education in time. I don't think it's quite there yet. Once more apps are added and concerns over privacy are addressed, I feel that it can change how we communicate and learn. For example, in math students could record how they solve a particular problem is solved and then share that with struggling peers. Students would then become co-teachers. Here are a couple of sites that I found interesting on the topic. https://plus.google.com/communities/110296377171353281556 http://www.edutopia.org/blog/future-education-through-google-glass-andrew-marcinek
  • Araceli Gracia on 04 Mar 14
     
    I have to agree that privacy is the biggest issue with Google Glass but then again what really is private. Hackers are out there getting our personal information from credit cards. Everything can be recorded by cell phones at anytime. This is an issue that Google is aware of and no doubt working to improve this concern.
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 05 Mar 14
     
    Wow! After reading all the links and information on Google Glass, I am impressed. The first-person perspective gives students the opportunity to live in the shoes of others. What a great way to build empathy among students within the classroom and across the globe.
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 05 Mar 14
     
    This following link provides a graphic for 30 Ways Google Glass can Innovate the Classroom: http://mashable.com/2013/08/19/google-glass-education/ One that stood out to me was using Google Glass for facial recognition to help teachers identify students. Making connections with our audience and students is very important. At Scott Lane Elementary School in Santa Clara, California, a principal hung pictures with names of a group of kindergartners so teachers could greet them by name. After 1000 days, the reading level of 97% of these students increased. (Burmark, 2011) As a middle school teacher, I can have up to 140 students in a day. Google Glass could help me identify students thus making faster and better connections with the students and improving overall learning. Burmark, L. (2011). They snooze, you lose. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Araceli Gracia on 09 Mar 14
     
    Brenda, The link you provided is great. It is very easy to follow and understand the many ways Google Glass can be used in the classroom. I like how it could provide access to students and teachers with visual, auditory, & other physical handicaps. On our campus we have a student who is a home-bound student due to her severe epilepsy. So her parents come to the school, get her work, and then she has to be tutored at home. Using this type of technology would give her the opportunity to be a more active participant in the classroom.
  • lbanuelos on 09 Mar 14
     
    Araceli, as I go through the various articles, I can't help but think about how great it would be having a QR code reader app on Google Glass. Just imagine having the power to look up information on anything on the fly without voice commands or typing. School security could also use them to identify unauthorized individuals on campus. It would make them look more intimidating as well.
  • lbanuelos on 10 Mar 14
     
    Individuals with disabilities could certainly use Google Glass. Here is a video I found interesting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8GVKqGruOQ
kbanda

Using Technology in the English/Language Arts Classroom for "Sophisticated Responses" - 4 views

theeducatorsroom.com/...om-for-sophisticated-responses

education technology classroom share

shared by kbanda on 25 Jul 14 - No Cached
  • kbanda on 25 Jul 14
     
    Integrating Technology into the English/Language Arts Classrooms to help with writing. This is excellent to have discussions especially about novels or plays read in the class. Some students are shy to post their responses so this would be a way they could post and respond since it's their comfort zone.
  • ...3 more comments...
  • kbanda on 25 Jul 14
     
    How would you integrate technology in your subject area? Provide an example.
  • dbrookpark on 27 Jul 14
     
    One way that I integrate technology in my subject area, math, is by using iPads in the classroom. One app that we use is MineCraft which allows the students to work collaboratively in groups of 3 or 4 on different math objectives that I give them to do. An example of an objective would be to create a house and to determine the surface area of the outside or inside of house. The students love to use this app and it proved invaluable last year as a carrot to keep them motivated and engaged. In addition one student from each group has to set up a server that his/her group mates need to join. This is another 21st Century skill that is useful to them. Brook
  • mrigal on 27 Jul 14
     
    It would be beneficial if technology was incorporated heavily throughout all subject areas. I think this will happen in the future. Fortunately I teach DIM (Digital Interactive Media) and technology is incorporated into the class by default. My course and other technology courses have no problem incorporating technology. One of the main issues tech teachers have is how to incorporate the core curriculum into the class. For the past few years our department has been working closely with the science department and combined some science objectives into the technology objectives. For example, my department would use the Internet to complete science activities. The first year we saw an increase in student science scores.
  • kbanda on 28 Jul 14
     
    Technology can definitely a way to boost scores because it engages the student's learning. I feel that if students were allowed to use their ipads, computers, or phones in a positive way for school, not only would the scores go up but so would the atmosphere in the classroom.
  • Jose Davila on 29 Jul 14
     
    Technology has definitely evolved throughout the years in the classroom. I have seen kinder students utilizing their IPADS to incorporate learning in their classrooms. I am amazed how much they know about technology and how they use it for learning and to follow along in the lecture. In the high schools they have incorporated cell phones so students can do their research and its more hands on to where kids know so much about technology now a days. I am pro technology being used in all our schools because it is going to continue to evolve and it will be utilized more and more in the future and students will need to be ready.
morgantucker

A Computational Knowledge Engine- What is that Anyways? - 5 views

www.wolframalpha.com

education technology classroom teaching web2.0

shared by morgantucker on 25 Jul 14 - Cached
  • morgantucker on 25 Jul 14
     
    If you thought that a search engine could be helpful to learning, just wait until you give Wolfram Alpha a try. Look at the examples and then put it to the test. How do you see this being beneficial in education?
  • dbrookpark on 27 Jul 14
     
    This search engine is awesome and I could see it being used in hs and college classes or just by learners looking to learn. I found the Examples by Topic page to be helpful on how to use the search engine. http://www.wolframalpha.com/examples/ The one thing that I worry a bit about is that students could use it to solve problems without ever knowing how the problems were solved. Brook
  • morgantucker on 30 Jul 14
     
    Yes- Brook. You are not the only one with this concern. There is a place in learning for showing basic problems and learning the basics of a new concept (in which this could be used to solve) but I am also a strong believer that on a regular basis, we need to be giving our students problems where the answers cannot be easy searched. Such as tweeting a picture of a popcorn container before the movie starts and asking them to create an equation involving volume. This checks for understanding at a higher level, forces them to generalize the knowledge and then provides them the opportunity to teach.
Rosalyn Martinez

Differentiation Meets Digital Technology | literacy beat - 12 views

literacybeat.com/...differentiation-tech

differentiation technology education

shared by Rosalyn Martinez on 09 Feb 15 - No Cached
  • Differentiation is an elegant mindset that suggests to teachers a framework that permits them to engage students while focusing on learning results, and digital technologies offer many opportunities to differentiate instruction in meaningful ways.
  • three-phase approach to planning differentiated instruction: Where do we start planning for differentiated instruction with technology, What are considerations for who we teach, what we teach, and how we plan? How do I put it all together?
  • Planning differentiated instruction enhanced by technology is a perfect fit for the principles of understanding by design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005) in which teachers plan instruction based on the results they intend for their students.
  • ...14 more annotations...
  • This means that before any digital tools are chosen, before a single activity is determined, before assessment instruments are designed, the intended results must be decided.
  • It will be tempting to think something like, “I really love Prezi and Glogster” so I’ll design my activity around those two tools.” An analogy might be helpful here as a kind of caution about choosing the technology before moving forward with other aspects of instruction.
  • Once we have a firm grasp on what results we expect based on standards and objectives, we can begin to think about the best ways to challenge our students.
  • Curricular elements we can differentiate commonly include the processes of learning, the products of learning, and the content on which learning is based (Tomlinson, 2001).
  • High-quality differentiation typically means different students doing different things that lead to achievement of a common learning goal.  Developing options is an effective way to put differentiation into effect.
  • Teachers develop options that meet identified learner needs while keeping key attributes of the target concepts and results in mind.
  • They can be simple tinkering (or micro-differentiation, as Tomlinson, 2001, asserts) or those digital tools can vastly improve how students learn and how they interact in our digital world.
  • How digital technologies are embedded in the learning tasks is vitally important
  • In the following example tasks, notice how the tools enhance the learning rather than restrict it; at the same time students are encouraged to use new literacy skills in learning as they complete the tasks.
  • In your classroom, what successful tasks have you designed with the end in mind that were built on solid principles of differentiation and use of digital technologies?
    • Rosalyn Martinez
      Rosalyn Martinez on 09 Feb 15
       
      I like that the author gets to the point immediately. He defines "differentiation" for the reader and explains a three-phase approach to planning this type of instruction.
    • Rosalyn Martinez
      Rosalyn Martinez on 09 Feb 15
       
      The author is very helpful. He provides useful tips on getting started in the planning process of differentiated instruction.
    • Rosalyn Martinez
      Rosalyn Martinez on 09 Feb 15
       
      Check out these videos! They are extremely helpful & provide a great visual on how to plan differentiated instruction and how differentiation meets digital technology.
    • Rosalyn Martinez
      Rosalyn Martinez on 09 Feb 15
       
      The following are some great examples to help you get started on planning your differentiated instruction.
  • Rosalyn Martinez on 09 Feb 15
     
    This is a great article about differentiating instruction with the use of digital tools. Have you considered differentiating instruction? If so, please provide an example to share with the group as to how you differentiated instruction on a particular lesson and/or how you differentiated an assignment. If you haven't considered differentiation, please state how you feel about this topic now that you are better informed.
  • ...2 more comments...
  • marie_lara on 09 Feb 15
     
    That is a very interesting article! No, I have considered this as it is defined, or specified. Actually I suggested something like this awhile back when I was teaching a group of adult students in computer basics. Some of the drawbacks were brought up by others, such as it would require many more resources than we had available at the time.
  • Rosalyn Martinez on 11 Feb 15
     
    Thank you for your response, Marie! I'm certain there are drawbacks due to lack of resources, and I'm sure it's time consuming to set up. Still, I would really like to try this in the near future. Thanks again.
  • jnfreeman7 on 24 Feb 15
     
    Differentiation is hard to do in the first place. When you have students in your classroom that are on 4 different levels and your students are not self directed or self motivated learners there are not enough "you" to go around the room. Technology can allow you to be in more than one place at a time. My favorite way to use technology for differentiation is the flipped classroom model. It can allow for students to work at their own pace and gives the teacher more time and freedom to differentiate during class.
  • Rosalyn Martinez on 01 Mar 15
     
    I agree with you, Jeannine. Differentiation can very difficult especially when you have various levels of student learning. I was unfamiliar with the flipped classroom model. I'm glad you mentioned it. I've researched it and can see how it would help so many students. One idea mentioned in an article I read was to have students view short videos of an upcoming lesson. On the day of the lesson, students are then able to focus on the lesson itself and work on exercises & activities in the classroom. We do that in this class & it really does help. FYI - the article I read on this subject can be located at https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7081.pdf.
Stephen Simon

Dipity - Find, Create, and Embed Interactive Timelines - 6 views

www.dipity.com

share Web2.0 timeline education visualization history collaboration

shared by Stephen Simon on 11 Feb 14 - Cached
  • Dipity is a free digital timeline website. Our mission is to organize the web's content by date and time.
    • Don Martin
      Don Martin on 13 Feb 14
       
      Timeglider is another nice timeline application. There are actually a lot of great timeline resources. Timelines are a great tool that allows you to create linear content with embedded learning objects like pop-up text boxes, videos, pictures, sound files, and more. I've used timelines in my courses in the past and have even embedded them in presentations.
    • eeverett3
      eeverett3 on 13 Feb 14
       
      This is a neat, free tool! I searched WWII and the Holocaust because I know that my 8th grade AP English teachers are about to start a project on this that will involve a timeline. I will share this immediately with those teachers! We will experiment with the students adding information to one timeline. I looked at the sources listed on one of the Holocaust timelines and that information was not very detailed so I will be looking closely at sources as I play! Thanks for the link, Stephen!
    • Joe Pedraza
      Joe Pedraza on 17 Feb 14
       
      This tool can be integrated into the classroom, workplace or at home. Timelines are a great way for students to visualize what they are learning and engage in the lesson. Dipity would be great for history teachers. They can use the power of multimedia, social media content with trends like timestamps, geolocations and real time updates to bring the lesson to a life-like experience.
    • Jose Escobedo
      Jose Escobedo on 19 Feb 14
       
      Dipity can be a very useful tool for those students who have a difficult time being creative with school projects. As Joe P. mentioned, the use of social media will facilitate the need for students to think "outside the box".
    • Merrill Redfern
      Merrill Redfern on 23 Feb 14
       
      This timeline tool is wonderful and can be integrated into the library as well. Each year our campus celebrates the author, Theodor Seuss Geisel's (aka Dr. Seuss'), birthday with book readings, book trivia, etc. I searched Dr. Seuss and found many interesting facts about the beloved children's author. What a great way to conduct an in depth study about him while incorporating history and literature.
    • Eric Folks
      Eric Folks on 24 Feb 14
       
      Did you all see this post from Tech & Learning? Top 20 Sites and Apps for Creating Timelines (Feb. 21st) http://www.techlearning.com/Default.aspx?tabid=67&entryid=7150
    • Merrill Redfern
      Merrill Redfern on 02 Mar 14
       
      Thank you for posting the Tech & Learning link. Being fairly new to the technology of timelines I found this top 20 list very inspiring. As I sifted through the list of apps thinking about how I could implement such a great tool in the library I found the app TIMELINE. It's FREE :) and is practically effortless to navigate through. One can simply tap on the timeline at the location where you want to add an event including label, description and image. Projects can be saved in a file within the app and can also be sent out to others. I like the idea of my students conducting research on authors and creating a timeline of books published by the author.
  • Dipity allows users to create free timelines online.
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 11 Feb 14
       
      Drag the timeline around; there is some interesting content here but it looks largely aggregated. Have you tried integrating a timeline in your classroom with any success?
    • Brenda Wohlfeil
      Brenda Wohlfeil on 15 Feb 14
       
      Although I did not have the internet as a resource, I have had my students create mini-timelines using PowerPoint.  Each slide portrayed a different event and were in chronological order with dates.  My favorite was a timeline on the the battles and events of the American Revolution. Students were responsible for creating slides for different battles including sound and animation.  The slides were imported together into a class PPT. I don't think it will be something the students will forget.
    • Don Martin
      Don Martin on 18 Feb 14
       
      I have used timelines in my courses to teach the history of the Surgical Technology Profession and show the development of various technological innovations as well as surgical specialties. The interactivity of the timelines and the addition of a visual component to the information makes the timeline effective. Add in the fact that you can embed learning objects such as videos and links to other information and timelines can be very flexible and effective as a tool to help reach an objective.
    • Araceli Gracia
      Araceli Gracia on 18 Feb 14
       
      I know it is horrible to admit, but I had no idea what a meme was so I had to look it up. If I am correct it is an idea that gets replicated and then evolves from sensations like famous people, videos, or certain phrases. http://thedailymeme.com/what-is-a-meme/
  • ...2 more annotations...
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 11 Feb 14
       
      Internet Memes Timeline can provoke an interesting discussion on memes, how they get started, and what fuels their expansion. Is it possible to create a meme within a school?
    • Joe Pedraza
      Joe Pedraza on 17 Feb 14
       
      A meme is an idea that is spread from person to person quickly. The internet has become the home for the modern memes. The use of email, instant messaging, social media allows for the spread of memes. Humor is a great way to create a new meme. I think it is very possible to create a meme within a school. It's easy to pass along a meme to your colleagues by email. I have included a link to the top internet memes. (http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/weirdwebculture/tp/The-Best-Internet-Memes.htm)
    • Eric Folks
      Eric Folks on 19 Feb 14
       
      Timeline Maker claims to have the interactive capabilitites of Dipity but with the ability to integrate your timeline into Power Point and other MS programs. It is $125 however...this is a one-time cost and not a yearly subscription. http://www.timelinemaker.com/
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 11 Feb 14
       
      This is an example of a broken-link and is usually a sign that the site is not maintained regularly. I consider it a red flag. It is just one more thing that can make you nuts. We all have our pet peeves; what is yours?
    • eeverett3
      eeverett3 on 17 Feb 14
       
      I agree with Brenda that timelines are a must in history classes; however, I think they are just as valuable in researching biographies in all subjects and as tool for building relationships with students. When elementary children create personal timelines, they see the connections between all their lives and what common stories and events they share.
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 21 Feb 14
       
      Yes timelines are the most applicable to history and perspective. Great app!
    • Eric Folks
      Eric Folks on 24 Feb 14
       
      Life is really about turning points, and so is history. What better way to make them come alive than through the creation of interactive timelines! Araceli Gracia nailed it: what a perfect storm of events that must fall into place for an indvidual to become a US president...what better way to highlight these turning points than Dipity!
  • Stephen Simon on 11 Feb 14
     
    Timelines are an excellent tool to get the "big picture" of an event, or events. I have always liked using it in projects that participants can study and formulate time-based concepts.
  • ...4 more comments...
  • Stephen Simon on 11 Feb 14
     
    I find this tool similar to VoiceThread. See what you think.
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 15 Feb 14
     
    I firmly believe visual timelines are a must in history classes. From my own experience, it was not until I taught my own children history using a timeline did I really understand history. For me, it was just events and a bunch of dates until I created one with my daughters. We built a timeline around our schoolroom of all the historical events that we were studying. Each time we studied and added another event, we were able to see it in the context of the world's history. I helped me see history in context for the first time. As Simon said, the "big picture." Dipity and other timelines like it, should be one of the pillar of tools used in today's history classes.
  • Araceli Gracia on 17 Feb 14
     
    I recently had students do a project for President's Day but this would be a great way to incorporate this project even more. They would be able to understand the person they have chosen and the events that went on during their time and like you mentioned Stephen get the "big picture." Awesome.
  • lbanuelos on 17 Feb 14
     
    Its easy to see how this technology could be used in the educational setting. It allows the instructor to set the background for a lesson on a particular event. It can be used to teach history but other topics as well. For example, in literature it can be used to list situations leading to a climax in play such as Romeo and Juliet. I was most surprised to see it being used in journalism. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvCyLrY9rDs http://www.dipity.com/alexvoa/Timeline-Chile-Miners-Ordeal/
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 23 Feb 14
     
    Besides Presidents, timelines can be used to deepen our understanding about any person. Seeing a person within a specific era, can help up better understand the thinking process of that person. Furthermore, it can help us really appreciate the uniqueness of people who think outside of the common thinking of that time.
  • lbanuelos on 24 Feb 14
     
    Dipity can be power tool in the classroom. Integrating pictures and video in a timeline can enhance retention. Dipity add multimedia to instruction. Both visual and audible learners will benefit. I remember one of my teacher in middle school discussing how bills become laws by showing us a "School House Rock" video. To this day, I can still sing some of the lyrics to the songs in the video.
Stephen Simon

MapSkip - Places Have Stories! - 6 views

www.mapskip.com/index.php

geography Web2.0 storytelling share knowledge

shared by Stephen Simon on 11 Feb 14 - Cached
  • MapSkip makes the world a canvas for our stories and photos.
  • It is an ancient human instinct to share our life stories with others, as the paintings and hand prints in stone-age caves show.
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 11 Feb 14
       
      Storytelling is part of being a great teacher. Making it relevant is part of being a great mentor. This is not always as easy as some think it is but for those who invest in the art of storytelling realize that that is how lasting memories are made. Think of going camping and sitting around the fire telling stories; what was it that made those memorable to you?
    • Janice Wilson Butler
      Janice Wilson Butler on 16 Feb 14
       
      And charting your own adventures - I keep having trouble remembering where I ate a great food or saw a play, etc. I like when a tool can be powerful for personal reasons as well as for educational reasons.
    • Joe Pedraza
      Joe Pedraza on 17 Feb 14
       
      This would be good for my 9 year old to track our summer vacation. He can take photos, videos and add the stories to the map. The MapSkip can even be linked to your twitter account allowing the user to tweet as you post stories. I think this for me would be a little too time consuming but overall great for users with time on their hands.
    • Don Martin
      Don Martin on 26 Feb 14
       
      I could see something like this being used in combination with a interactive timeline. You could put your history on the timeline and then use the map locations to tell the stories behind the events.
  • ...3 more annotations...
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 11 Feb 14
       
      I do not agree that it is human instinct to share our life stories. The reason being that if everyone wanted to do that, no story would ever be heard. Do you agree with the premise that we, as homo sapiens, instinctually want to share our stories?
    • Merrill Redfern
      Merrill Redfern on 12 Feb 14
       
      People share life stories for various reasons. They share stories in an effort to connect themselves or others with someone or something. To feel a belonging to something significant that will define or confirm their characteristics, attributes or identity. I do agree in that not every person instinctively wants to spill the beans about their life and does not need to share stories for fulfillment. Introverts have a difficult time telling stories and find it challenging or exhausting. However, I believe technology has set a forum for some introverts to "safely" tell stories in an environment in which protects them from the world they may find challenging.
    • Jeff Blackman
      Jeff Blackman on 12 Feb 14
       
      Yes, I do think there is an instinct to share stories. Not necessarily to the whole world but at least to one other person. For example, our kids, spouses, families. People we are comfortable with - we want to share our stories - even the mundane ones like "how was work today?" It fills a need.
    • Jose Escobedo
      Jose Escobedo on 13 Feb 14
       
      I try to find ways to keep in touch or share my experiences with my kids back home and MapSkip offers that opportunity. I can share my experiences with my little girl especially when she has a school project due. Instead of sending pictures and or trying to explain a place via email or text, she can access my stories with her tablet at school.
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 16 Feb 14
       
      Using a tool like this one can lend itself to sharing with family as Jose has pointed out. Usually these stories are somewhat private and so long as you know that they are public, fine with me. If more people did this then perhaps some stories which are usually isolated to an individual could possible be cross-indexed to someone else. This would certainly give you some perspective on the story itself when told by different individuals.
    • eeverett3
      eeverett3 on 17 Feb 14
       
      I believe that humans have a need to share their stories. That is how we make connections with each other and how we work out our differences in opinion. We are always trying to explain, share, and teach.
    • Joe Pedraza
      Joe Pedraza on 17 Feb 14
       
      I believe that we as homo sapiens do want to share our stories, not necessarily instinctively but more subconsciously. Our subconscious is the storage of our knowledge and prior experiences. When we meet others that we have something in common with like an idea, or something that triggers an emotion, we feel a connection that triggers our subconscious to share this information.
    • Eric Folks
      Eric Folks on 18 Feb 14
       
      OK people, I can't believe we're debating whether or not ppl like/need/want to share stories. Let's leave it at storytelling has been a part the human culture creation process since the beginning, but sharing stories is an individual choice. More importantly, so is the means by which we do it! Does MapSkip offer tools and services other sites don't? Maybe. But from what I can tell, this doesn't offer much more than Google Maps Engine (https://mapsengine.google.com/map/?pli=1)...other than another site we need to create, manage, and curate content on. Another option is Dr. Alice Christie's GoogleTreks (http://googletreks.org/). MapSkip seems cumbersome to me in comparison to some mobile options out there, like location-based posts in Twitter, G+, FB, and my favorite for this type of thing, Instagram. Here are some other apps for location-based maps/activity etc. http://www.slideshare.net/matteoroversi/beyond-foursquare-overview-on-the-best-location-based-apps
    • Brenda Wohlfeil
      Brenda Wohlfeil on 23 Feb 14
       
      Digital Stories were foreign to me. I appreciate the video that Simon posted, although it was a bit advanced for me. I have since found a website that gives a basic overview of digital stories with information on how to map them. http://maps.playingwithmedia.com/digital-story/
    • Olivia Basham
      Olivia Basham on 23 Feb 14
       
      I agree that story telling is what forms the basis for human culture. This tool looks like a fun and interesting way to do just that. Gosh it would be a fun way to share travel stories or even share reviews or tips for particular locations or venues for others on their travels.
    • Don Martin
      Don Martin on 04 Mar 14
       
      Brenda, Thanks for the link that clarifies the digital story possibilities. I agree that it can be a bit confusing and overwhelming at times. I think the key is having a good plan before you start. If you have a story plan then you can go and find the "places" you want to use to tell your story.
  • - Our Partners
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 11 Feb 14
       
      Check out this teacher resource who partnered with MapSkip.
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 16 Feb 14
       
      Capturing family history through stories was pretty much the only way to keep the story alive. Now you have new tools to make it live on. Investing in a flip-cam is great for impromptu video capture of a story. Many times my kids tell me that not everyone wants to be on video so I am more cautious when I take it and film. But what you get as a product is priceless as I look back at video of my father and realize how much I miss his stories.
    • Janice Wilson Butler
      Janice Wilson Butler on 16 Feb 14
       
      This looks like a very interesting tool. I can see it being of great benefit for students who are learning English - a way to connect the English language to their own culture. It should be a cool tool for social studies as well - the discovery of the United States, the Pilgrims, etc. Or battles of the Civil War - so many uses!
    • Eric Folks
      Eric Folks on 18 Feb 14
       
      Stephen, we invested in Flipcams a while back, about 5 per campus for check out via library. They discontinued support for them right after we bought them :( but they've nevertheless been useful for long recordings. Since so many now have smart phones, and the shorter the video clips often the better, the flip cameras are not used as much... I am curious how difficult (or easy) the workflow would be to add video resources to your MapSkip post. Might give it a try and let you know!
    • Eric Folks
      Eric Folks on 18 Feb 14
       
      OK, so you can't upload a video (only add a YouTube video, which is easy enough to upload yourself), add a jpg image, and even upload a sound file (mp3), which I thought particularly nice. After exploring the features a bit more, I've got to say it's more capable and less cumbersome than I orginally thought!
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 21 Feb 14
       
      I thought that the capacity to narrate (mp3) was perfect for this type of We 2.0 tool. That way the story is not lost in all the extraneous material a video brings. But the youTube capacity adds an element of commercialization to the artifact which I don't like; especially in the classroom.
  • Stephen Simon on 11 Feb 14
     
    This is an ambitious method of story-sharing using integrated GoogleMaps with pins to denote where a story, with and without photos, can be posted and accessed.
  • ...5 more comments...
  • Stephen Simon on 11 Feb 14
     
    Here is a video on Digital Storytelling from a lecture in SecondLife. I found it informative and an sharing it with you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XRS-45wKWk
  • Jeff Blackman on 12 Feb 14
     
    I love storytelling as a means to teach. I always try to weave stories into my training as I think it helps people connect to the material better.
  • lbanuelos on 14 Feb 14
     
    Storytelling is a natural way to create meaningful and sometimes emotionally rich connections. When my grandfather would sit me down and talk about all the various places he had traveled to though out his life, I couldn't help but feel connected to those places. It also gave me deeper insight as to what those places must have been like. I believe that because storytelling forces our minds to envision the situations, it keeps learners interested and assists in information retention.
  • Araceli Gracia on 17 Feb 14
     
    When I make a connection to a lesson, I love to tell my students my personal stories or experiences especially traveling to different places. My students are so attentive and if I bring pictures, they can appreciate the story and lesson even more. Of course this leads to some students making their own connections and wanting to share their stories and experiences. And although not all students may have many opportunities to travel, they all have something to say and listening to their classmates tell a story makes everything very meaningful.
  • Araceli Gracia on 18 Feb 14
     
    I don't know if I would tell every story and detail of my life, but if the situation called for it, I probably would share. I know some people, like my stepfather, who is not shy will share his stories about the past, but maybe because he is older and has nothing to hid. However, I will share my stories with my students if I feel it will make a lesson more meaningful.
  • lbanuelos on 20 Feb 14
     
    I see this a good tool for students to map places they have explored that have personal value to them. For example, as a former boy scout, I would map places where we setup camp and document the skills I learned. This would later be used to reflect upon. I agree with Eric that they are other tools that are somewhat easier to use but for me it works fine.
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 23 Feb 14
     
    It has occurred to me after reading all the comments, Dipity and MapSkip combined together could turn a student autobiography into one neat project! What a way to engage students to reflect upon the on the places and events of their lives.
Stephen Simon

Lawmakers: Terrorists May Tap Same Web 2.0 Tools as Military - Scientific American - 4 views

www.scientificamerican.com/...virtual-reality-military

shared by Stephen Simon on 17 Feb 14 - No Cached
  • The Congressional Research Service (CSR) recently released a report warning that enemies may be using the same Web-based, collaborative technology to prepare for future strikes that the U.S. uses to train soldiers and gather intelligence.
    • Jose Escobedo
      Jose Escobedo on 17 Feb 14
       
      In 2009, over 7,000 terrorist sites were active. Terrorist also have used social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to target prospective recruits.
    • eeverett3
      eeverett3 on 21 Feb 14
       
      I believe we have to assume that worldwide, people are learning to use and adapt technology for their own purposes. The military is correct to be looking at how to protect American assets from hacking. Recent events (i.e. the Black Friday incident) show that our credit card purchases are certainly not safe!
    • Jose Escobedo
      Jose Escobedo on 25 Feb 14
       
      The Somali terrorist group Al-Shabaab has used Twitter to recruit U.S. youths especially in the state of Minnesota.
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 25 Feb 14
       
      That our enemies use the same tools as we do should come no more a surprise than the new Chinese jet fighter looks almost identical to our F-35. A foundational premise of the US cyber-command recognizes that the next battlefield is digital. It is there we will meet some faction of the enemy.
    • Don Martin
      Don Martin on 26 Feb 14
       
      Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites can be a very effective tool for communication as well as a channel for harm. We have used Facebook as a base for a discussion community for the students and faculty in the our allied health programs here at El Centro as well as the surgical technology program I headed at Collin College. It gives the students an opportunity to communicate with each other and their instructors in an orderly asynchronous manner (much better than e-mail. Unfortunately it requires that someone be responsible to monitor the chatter. Sometimes information is conveyed that is inappropriate or it is communicated in an inappropriate manner.
    • Jose Escobedo
      Jose Escobedo on 27 Feb 14
       
      You are right in regards to Twitter and Facebook as effective tools of communication but many times we have seen everything from students, teachers, parents, etc. who upload inappropriate pictures or comments and then face the negative consequences.
    • Olivia Basham
      Olivia Basham on 01 Mar 14
       
      Seems to me like this is to be expected and even advantageous. I mean a) terrorists are usually only effective if they are smart and it would be stupid for them to not take advantage of all forms of communication and recruitment available to them, and b) since these site are often not well secured and are well know by our own intelligence community it actually helps all peace-loving governments if terrorists DO use them as it makes their plans and colleagues more vulnerable to observation and counterintelligence. I find sites like Facebook and Twitter to be the low hanging fruit of communication and we should be lucky that terrorists aren't using more sophisticated methods more often.
  • The CRS reports that the U.S. military plans to build a virtual world called Sentient Worldwide Simulation that would include highly detailed digital renderings of different real-life cities worldwide, much the same way the Second Life virtual world is filled with banks, stores and other landmarks that give a more realistic feel.
  • The goal is to use it, among other things, to help train medics and National Guard members to respond during emergencies.
    • Jose Escobedo
      Jose Escobedo on 17 Feb 14
       
      Three years ago the Department of Defense decided to establish 10 Homeland Response Force Units known as HRFs in order to focus on Chemical, Biological, Radiological,Nuclear and High Explosive (CBRNE) incidents due to natural disasters or terrorist attacks.
    • eeverett3
      eeverett3 on 21 Feb 14
       
      As I am reading this, I am thinking about how advanced VR simulations have become and how can we use this in education? The obvious cost savings on teachers, materials, etc would be phenominal if we had a virtual chemistry lab, physics lab, etc. Then I searched virtual chemistry lab and found several websites with just that!
    • Eric Folks
      Eric Folks on 03 Mar 14
       
      I see VR contributing to the ability of technology to blur the line between digital and real, but I don't believe VR will have to have the "V" in it for very much longer. Let me explain. There are many tools that blend digital and real. In the last two weeks I've read stories on two of them: this one highlights how smartphones can be controlled by human gestures (http://goo.gl/zzexlT), and this one, the capability of some modern game systems to be also controlled by gestures (http://goo.gl/C0viR8). In both cases our physical reality is helping shape and form a digital reality. Then consider Aurasma (www.aurasma.com/), a site that enables users to associate digital "overlays" over real life images, or "triggers." This technology enables us to bring the digital into reali life. We cannot know what will happen, but my guess is that digital immersion via VR is less likely to take off as quickly as digital integration into real life. When they come up with a VR machine that can replicate smells, tastes and micro sensations like the wind or water against my skin, I may have to reconsider this prediction!
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • For the past three years the Pentagon has also been testing the potential of virtual reality in treating veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. In essence, therapists immerse victims in a virtual world complete with visual and sound effects that recreate the source of their fears and flashbacks from Iraq, Afghanistan and other war zones, according to Defense Update, an online site that covers military issues.
    • eeverett3
      eeverett3 on 24 Feb 14
       
      PTSD is such an interesting application for virtual reality.
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 25 Feb 14
       
      Us VR as a tool for exposure therapy is an excellent application of the technology. It is interesting that researcher combines smells with the tool.
    • Olivia Basham
      Olivia Basham on 01 Mar 14
       
      Exposure therapy has changed many peoples' lives. Never before has the concept of "facing your fear" seemed more possible as virtual realty allows individuals to work through deeply rooted and even quite rational psychological responses in a safe and controlled environment. If people can overcome a fear of flying using VR, (http://www.vrphobia.com/Clinical/Fears/flying.htm) why not veterans using the same simulations uses to train new soldiers before entering the battle field? In fact, I would be interesting to see a study that investigated if soldiers who have had extensive VR simulation training BEFORE going to war zones experienced more or less (or the same) instances of PTSD.
    • Jose Escobedo
      Jose Escobedo on 17 Feb 14
       
      The goal is to help veterans with PTSD in reducing their anxiety and fear. Virtual reality can be programmed to help combat veterans confront feared situations.
    • Jose Escobedo
      Jose Escobedo on 19 Feb 14
       
      http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20131110/NEWS/131119944 The above link details how Virtual Reality is offered at the University of Central Florida for veterans who suffer with PTSD. The Department of Defense awarded UCF a $5.1 million grant to offer the treatment.
    • Eric Folks
      Eric Folks on 19 Feb 14
       
      Jose this is an interesting application of virtual reality technology. I see real value in using it as a form of therapy for PTSD (and there's certainmly a need!), but any virtual world based on the real world used for military applications makes me a bit uneasy. I guess this is a lot like those Germans throwing the Google Street View van out of their neighborhood a few years back...sometimes there is TMI with technology. Honestly, I'm not sure that I trust either the military or Google with anything approaching real-time satellite feeds (which is what we're approaching) for "training purposes." It approaches the surveillence state I hope we never have to face as a society.
    • Jose Escobedo
      Jose Escobedo on 20 Feb 14
       
      With the recent scandal of Eric Snowden's leak of classified information about the global surveillance by the NSA, I understand the concern when the military or any other agency wants to use Virtual Reality but there are good benefits. For example, some units use the virtual reality system EST 2000 where soldiers are able to work on markmanship skills, collective squad level training and judgmental use of force scenarios.
    • Don Martin
      Don Martin on 26 Feb 14
       
      The potential for education applications for VR are staggering. We are already beginning to use VR in the health sciences, nursing and medical education settings. There are a number of VR simulations for surgery that can be used by medical students, interns and residents as well as for nursing and surgical technology students. In the area of robotics surgery VR is often used to train surgeons how to use the system before they attempt it for the real. VR is also being used to explore procedures and treatment options to map out approaches and to anticipate patient reactions to various treatments. Unfortunately the technology is still very cumbersome, expensive and sometimes wrong in very surprising ways.
  • lbanuelos on 24 Feb 14
     
    Unfortunately this is the sad reality of today's technology. There will always be those that find ways to twist new technologies created for the good of humanity into weapons. I can see how web 2.0 and virtual worlds could be used by terrorists. For example, people could theoretically communicate on collaboration networks, meet on Second Life, and ultimately finance an operation using internet currency such as bitcoins.
  • ...3 more comments...
  • lbanuelos on 24 Feb 14
     
    When I first read this article, I was skeptical as to how effective Virtual Realty would be in treating PTSD. I just don't understand how reliving a traumatizing experience over and over makes it less bearable. Well according to an article I found, it seems to work. According to the Journal Cybertherapy and Rehabilitation, virtual reality exposure therapy has shown a 66 to 90 success rate. That is impressive. My only question would be what are the side effects of exposure to this type of therapy. http://www.thedailybeast.com/the-hero-project/articles/2013/09/26/virtual-reality-video-games-may-be-the-best-treatment-for-ptsd.html
  • Jeff Blackman on 24 Feb 14
     
    I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Of course, all these tools that we use for education are certainly out there and available to others who can use it in other ways.
  • Stephen Simon on 25 Feb 14
     
    One of many ways terrorists are using to plan attacks.
  • Araceli Gracia on 26 Feb 14
     
    It is scary to think that Web 2.0 tools that are supposed to be safe and helpful are being used by terrorists. After the Target hack during Black Friday, I have been very scared to use my card there. I got a new bank card and changed my pin, even though I wasn't one that was "affected" , because it made me feel a little more secure. Apparently it can happen everywhere. As far as the virtual reality therapy, I found an article that mentions several ways how it helps and the first one is how it helps with PTSD. Even though this type of therapy may not work for everyone, it certainly is a step in the right direction. http://io9.com/5288859/7-virtual-reality-technologies-that-actually-work http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-virtual-reality-therapy-fo/
  • lbanuelos on 28 Feb 14
     
    This article lists how terrorists can use the web to wage war. It's good to see that people are also using the internet to fight back. This article is from the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime. http://www.unodc.org/documents/frontpage/Use_of_Internet_for_Terrorist_Purposes.pdf This video discusses how terrorists are using twitter while attacking a mall. http://usat.ly/1fbIP8D
Brenda Wohlfeil

Is Google Making Us Stupid? - Nicholas Carr - The Atlantic - 8 views

www.theatlantic.com/...306868

google technology reading

shared by Brenda Wohlfeil on 17 Mar 14 - No Cached
  • My mind isn’t going—so far as I can tell—but it’s changing. I’m not thinking the way I used to think. I can feel it most strongly when I’m reading. Immersing myself in a book or a lengthy article used to be easy. My mind would get caught up in the narrative or the turns of the argument, and I’d spend hours strolling through long stretches of prose. That’s rarely the case anymore. Now my concentration often starts to drift after two or three pages. I get fidgety, lose the thread, begin looking for something else to do. I feel as if I’m always dragging my wayward brain back to the text. The deep reading that used to come naturally has become a struggle.
    • eeverett3
      eeverett3 on 17 Mar 14
       
      The first question this article raises in my mind is...are other people feeling like this? that books and long articles are becoming too difficult to read?
    • Jose Escobedo
      Jose Escobedo on 18 Mar 14
       
      When I am sent off to training and I know I will have limited connectivity, my laptop stays in my bag. I use this time to read articles which I print out or just simply read a book. If I have connectivity, my concentration to simply read articles or a textbook would be lost because I want to get to other class assignments or simply surf the net. To me its just a mind over matter.
    • Brenda Wohlfeil
      Brenda Wohlfeil on 22 Mar 14
       
      After reading/working on the computer for long periods of time, I noticed I get jittery.  I was concerned about it, so I searched the internet for answers.  I came across Linda Stone's video and website.  She has studied attention, health and technology.  In the video she talks about continuous partial attention, which is a form of multi-tasking.  Ms. Stone's research has shown that we have become hyper alert to scan for every possible input and opportunity.  In another words, we don't want to miss anything.  And this puts us in an artificial state of constant crisis.  Amongst many physical changes from this artificial state, including jitteriness, our minds find it hard to focus. (Linda Stone-May I Have Your Attention Please?, http://internoobs.wonderhowto.com/inspiration/linda-stone-may-have-your-attention-please-0128197/) So I have to wonder, is it that we just don't have the patience for reading long books, or are we in an artificial state of constant crisis that makes it impossible for us to focus?
    • eeverett3
      eeverett3 on 24 Mar 14
       
      I actually have a student this year who cannot use the computer at all because it causes seizures for her! Scary!
    • Olivia Basham
      Olivia Basham on 31 Mar 14
       
      This particular quote reminds me of an Aristotle quote: "We are what we constantly do, excellence isn't an act then, but a habit." It seems that Mr Carr is mistaking habits for permanent brain changes.
  • And what the Net seems to be doing is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation. My mind now expects to take in information the way the Net distributes it: in a swiftly moving stream of particles. Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a Jet Ski.
    • eeverett3
      eeverett3 on 17 Mar 14
       
      I really like this analogy of finding information online. I often feel like this and in my library, I see students seraching so rapidly that I wonder if their research is effective.
    • Araceli Gracia
      Araceli Gracia on 17 Mar 14
       
      I know that I am guilty of telling my children to "Google It" when I don't know something right away. It is quick way of getting answers to what we are not sure about. But how else would students get their information. Unless they have a set of encyclopedias, it would prove difficult to search. Long articles are more tedious to read than difficult I think. Its a matter of time that doesn't allow for reading so they are just being glanced at rather than being fully understood.
    • Merrill Redfern
      Merrill Redfern on 18 Mar 14
       
      The analogy provides an excellent mental picture of what searching online looks like in the 21st century. This analogy also reminds me of times in my library, while locating a book for a student, by the time I have tracked down the book a student can't absolutely live without they have already changed their minds on what they are interested in. Amazes me on how fast students can "switch gears," which is what (among other things) the Internet searching is creating in our student population.
    • Eric Folks
      Eric Folks on 18 Mar 14
       
      I've got mixed feelings on this. It seems counterintuitive that we should take advantage of the resources we have at hand, be it Google or some mobile device, and that we should teach our kids to do the same. How many technologies and advances in the past have changed the way we find, process, and share information? Each was met with resistance and criticism and also a bit of excitement, but eventually, they came to be seen as valuable tools for learning. While I think the same can be said of modern technologies, I do have some reservations about the concentration and scale of control companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook and the like have over society's day to day interactions. "Big data" and the way it's being used should give everyone pause, as they really boil down to refining the manipulation process. If we spent as much time teaching digital literacy and critical thinking (helping young to old be more aware of forms of manipulation, propaganda, and logical fallacies), I would be more likely to say (with some checks and balances and oversight), it's ok for these companies to provide us with goods and services specific to our needs and wants. The problem is we are witnessing both the growth of big data and the growth of technology dependence at the same time. Is technology becoming the modern day "opiate of the masses?" It just may be... More and more parents are using technology to babysit their children, enough so that pediatricians are pointing out the writing on the wall: this overuse of technology is excacerbating ADD, ADHD, childhood obeisity, and more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cris-rowan/10-reasons-why-handheld-devices-should-be-banned_b_4899218.html Personally, I have my kids complete a technology challenge every day before they're able to get on technology for gaming and entertainment (which we are now limiting to 1 hour). Most of these technology challenges involve them using technology as a creation tool, and I've got to say, it's working!
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 21 Mar 14
       
      The Net does chip away at your capacity for concentration, contemplation, and criticial thinking because we let it. The information on the Net is only that; you still have to decide if what you are reading can how water. I think it is important to approach search engines, like Google, by learning to structure a query followed by what storehouses of data we know to have veracity.
    • Don Martin
      Don Martin on 25 Mar 14
       
      It may well be that the problems we are seeing as being created by the internet and the accessibility of information are actually caused by us as instructors and not by the medium itself. As instructors it is our job to find appropriate resources and appropriate uses for the information that is so readily available today. Through the use of Web 2.0 Technologies we need to find ways to create depth of information by inspiring our students to dig deeper and helping them in the development of their critical thinking skills.
    • Olivia Basham
      Olivia Basham on 31 Mar 14
       
      While I love Mr. Carr's use of metaphor (scuba vs jet ski) this kind of argument via analogy is fallacious at best. You know what else challenges concentration and contemplation? Sports. They are just the same kind of rapid-fire informational experiences as "surfing the net" can be. No one would challenge the value of sports to a child's mind (or an adults for that matter) because it brings it's own skills and rewards. I think we confuse the situation when we try to compare un-like things.
  • It is clear that users are not reading online in the traditional sense; indeed there are signs that new forms of “reading” are emerging as users “power browse” horizontally through titles, contents pages and abstracts going for quick wins. It almost seems that they go online to avoid reading in the traditional sense.
    • eeverett3
      eeverett3 on 17 Mar 14
       
      I wonder if reading habits are changing and if this is good or bad...how will it affect students and educators?
    • Araceli Gracia
      Araceli Gracia on 17 Mar 14
       
      In the article, it mentions how texting has made it more important about being efficient and immediate which then weakens our capacity for reading. This stood out to me because this past weekend I went to help my mother send a text message. My mother does not text, she believes in the old fashion ways of speaking with people. So my 10 year old said he would help her create the text. Of course my mother wants to put capital letters, punctuation, and proper grammar. He was telling her, you don't have to do that, just put in "u" for "you". She was so shocked that he was telling her that, she was like no I have to have my name with a capital letter.
    • Merrill Redfern
      Merrill Redfern on 18 Mar 14
       
      In my experience, many students are obtaining just enough information to get by and not digging deeper into a subject where it could be meaningful. The internet provides the perfect forum for this. The "grab and go" mentality. Some would argue the amount of time placed on educators is a determining factor for teachers to "power browse" information. I believe there is some truth to that but above all, the internet has significantly changed the way we search, think, communicate, teach, plan and recall information.
    • Eric Folks
      Eric Folks on 18 Mar 14
       
      I see power browsing and recreational reading as two different activities...when I want to relax, I read (digital or print makes no difference as long as the device is light and I can adjust the brightness). When I want to stay on the cutting edge of my chosen profession, I power browse and experiement.
    • Don Martin
      Don Martin on 21 Mar 14
       
      It seems to me that the real problem may be related to something deeper. We have been told for so long by so many that we need to be good "multitaskers" that we have spent a great deal of time and energy on trying to do just that. Recent studies show that humans don't really multitask on any effective level and that when we do try to multitask our work and thought processes suffer for it. Here is a good article from Time Magazine about multitasking and its negative effects: http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1174696-1,00.html
    • eeverett3
      eeverett3 on 21 Mar 14
       
      That is a great article,Don! I am glad to see that what I am yelling at my teens all the time is backed up by research! "When people try to perform two or more related tasks either at the same time or alternating rapidly between them, errors go way up, and it takes far longer--often double the time or more--to get the jobs done than if they were done sequentially, says David E. Meyer, director of the Brain, Cognition and Action Laboratory at the University of Michigan: "The toll in terms of slowdown is extremely large--amazingly so." I worry about the multitasking all the time...has anyone seen the tv show "Brain Games"? I think that really illustrates the hazards of multitasking....
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 21 Mar 14
       
      I now have better understanding of the long view of cognition and how technology impacts it. Socrates opposition to the printed word was no different than a parent restricting internet access for their children; the capacity to properly learn the learning tool, left to its own device, is largely lost.
    • Brenda Wohlfeil
      Brenda Wohlfeil on 22 Mar 14
       
      I find myself mostly power browsing on the Internet, but I find it is difficult to do much more because of the back lighting.  The back lighting easily tires my eyes. For long articles that I need to digest, I prefer printing them out to read.   Here is an article on computer vision syndrome: http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/computer-vision-syndrome Possibly future screen technology might alleviate eye fatigue. Eizo is a company that is already working on creating screens to help with eye fatigue.  Here is their latest product: http://www.eizo.com/global/library/basics/eyestrain/
    • Olivia Basham
      Olivia Basham on 31 Mar 14
       
      Brenda, thank you for sharing this! Eye strain and visual fatigue are really big problems for me and other persons with dyslexia.
  • eeverett3 on 17 Mar 14
     
    Here is an article that discusses the use of current technology and how it may affect the brain.
  • ...5 more comments...
  • eeverett3 on 17 Mar 14
     
    I hope that everyone had a great Spring Break! Here is the article that I would like to discuss in Diigo that week. :) EE
  • lbanuelos on 17 Mar 14
     
    The article makes several points. Technology has changed how we think and measure our abilities. For example, as a computer technician, I always tell clients that I can solve their issues even if I haven't the slightest idea how to do. I just hope that someone else around the world has posted the solution on the internet. Thank you Google. So if the internet wasn't available I don't think I would feel as confident doing my job everyday.
  • Araceli Gracia on 20 Mar 14
     
    Luis, I have used You Tube so many times when trying to learn how to do something. I have even used it for this course when I need that extra tutorial. For example, if Stephen had not been kind enough to post a video on how to install Java on Screenr, I would have struggled so much more. Technology comes with the good and the bad. My older son learned to play the piano from the internet while my other son just wants to watch videos. So like everything in my life, there has to be a happy medium.
  • Don Martin on 21 Mar 14
     
    I'm inclined to believe that the problem is not with the technology but with how we adapt to it. In the past the rate of technology development has given us time to assimilate it, analyze it, and employ it. The problem with computers, the internet and all the associated electronic technology is that by the time we figure out what it is and what it is good for it's already changed. Given time we will figure out how to deal with the speed of change but in the meantime it means some struggle on our part as humans and as instructors in determining what is of value and what is not, what that value is, and how do I use it to my benefit and the benefit of my students?
  • Stephen Simon on 21 Mar 14
     
    Here is an article that discusses the use of current technology and how it may affect the brain.
  • lbanuelos on 24 Mar 14
     
    Araceli, I too use YouTube for learning how to do stuff. Just last week, I needed how to embed videos into a webpage for another project. Sure enough there was a video posted on how to do that. I believe that technology affects both the learner and the teacher. Instructors expect that students use these tools and have the ability to learn how to implement.
  • lbanuelos on 24 Mar 14
     
    Google puts tremendous amounts of data at our fingertips. This data needs to be interpreted. This is a important skill that must me taught to students. Not everything posted on the net is correct. I think this teaches students to be more critical of they read.
Brenda Wohlfeil

Virtual Schools Provide the Power of Choice - FamilyEducation.com - 6 views

school.familyeducation.com/...38763.html

schools homeschool choice

shared by Brenda Wohlfeil on 07 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • Virtual schools provide parents and children, from Oregon to New York and across the globe to Russia and other countries, with access to world-class curricula, myriad teachers, and support, just about anytime and anyplace. Most importantly, virtual schools provide the power of choice.
    • Brenda Wohlfeil
      Brenda Wohlfeil on 07 Apr 14
       
      As a prior home school mom, access to curricula at anytime and anyplace was very important.  I needed a curricula that I could take with me to hours of piano lessons and family trips across America. I home schooled my children year-long and took advantage of the many learning opportunities that occurred throughout the year.  Our curricula needed to be flexible and portable.
    • eeverett3
      eeverett3 on 07 Apr 14
       
      Even understanding the flexibility of online classes, I had not thought about how effective this would be for someone who travels ALL the time! The best part of this article is how virtual learning takes advantage of all the online bonuses that a traditional teacher does not have time to look for!
    • Araceli Gracia
      Araceli Gracia on 09 Apr 14
       
      Brenda, My youngest son, who is a 5th grader, always said he wanted to be home schooled, and if I could have, I would have. Giving him the opportunity to "visit" around the world and go at his own pace would suit his personality better. He has never been a big fan of school and it is not the teachers, because he likes them. I feel it is the structure of it all. If he was in a virtual school that provided the flexibility of online classes and learning, he would probably be a happier student. http://www.ehow.com/list_5965288_advantages-virtual-school.html
    • Don Martin
      Don Martin on 09 Apr 14
       
      Araceli, I think it is still possible for your son to be in a virtual school so long as he has the resources and motivation to do it. The virtual schools are not quite the same as home schooling, they are more like the distance learning programs here at UTB. They have dedicated instructors with state approved curricula and a wide variety of choices in classes, instructors and educational experiences (including field trips). If I had this option when I still had children at home I might have considered this option. Our youngest daughter was never really connected to anything in school except for extra-curricular activities. She was "bored" with it and this offers opportunities and experiences that might have been beneficial to her.
    • Brenda Wohlfeil
      Brenda Wohlfeil on 11 Apr 14
       
      Araceli and Don, Some virtual programs are self-paced. For example, my daughter took classes from Texas Tech ISD for high school. They were all self-paced classes She could start a new class whenever she wanted, and she had a good amount of time to complete each classes. Extensions were also granted with an extra fee, of course. http://www.depts.ttu.edu/uc/k-12/ In a homeschool, parents are really facilitators, especially as the kids get older. (I can't imagine ever giving my kids a lecture. They would have just tuned me out completely. :) Most of my kids learning came from project based learning, although at the time I didn't know there was a name for it.) Homeschool kids take classes at co-ops, on the internet, through distant-learning, using a box curriculum, or using a curriculum parents put together. The parent facilitates the learning by providing the tools needed for the kids to learn and the expectations. It is amazing how these kids learn.
    • Brenda Wohlfeil
      Brenda Wohlfeil on 07 Apr 14
       
      Deciding which method best serves their child's unique needs and talents is key here.  Children learn in so many different ways.  If virtual classes focus on only reading passages and answering questions, they will fall short of reaching so many children.  How can virtual classrooms cater to the needs and talents of so many children?
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • Families facing educational choices need to research all options thoroughly. They must examine their educational priorities in order to determine which features best support their goals. Most importantly, they must decide which method best serves their child's unique needs and talents.
  • Are Virtual Schools a Type of Homeschooling? The answer to this question depends on the virtual school. While most of the learning happens in the home with virtual schools, many of them are public schools without doors. Students who register with a public virtual school are counted as public-school students, not homeschoolers, in their state. These public virtual schools collect ADA (average daily attendance), just like the neighborhood brick-and-mortar school. They offer a standards-based curriculum; require attendance keeping, frequent assessments, and progress reports; and comply with mandated state testing.
    • Brenda Wohlfeil
      Brenda Wohlfeil on 07 Apr 14
       
      Take a look at this website for just a short list of online classes for home school familieshttp://a2zhomeschooling.com/home_school_programs/online_homeschooling_programs/
    • Merrill Redfern
      Merrill Redfern on 08 Apr 14
       
      I'm impressed with the diverse list of classes available to home school families seen on this website. Also, an interest-based curricula for students is an awesome way, I think, to help ensure student engagement. Some of the "fun/creative" courses for students in traditional public schools, at least in the elementary level where I teach, are in the form of clubs or additional after school programs. The flexible schedule of online classes leaves room for the management of a more stress-free existence as long as online classes are appropriate for the family. I found this article (or something similar to it) back when I was considering home schooling our daughter. #3 and #6 were our obstacles from moving forward into homeschooling. http://homeschooling.about.com/od/gettingstarted/a/homeschool4you.htm
    • Don Martin
      Don Martin on 09 Apr 14
       
      In the allied health education setting at the college level we are moving more and more towards an integrated curriculum. Soon that approach will be bleeding down into the high school allied health programs. The model originally comes from the integrated approaches now being employed at many medical schools and nursing programs across the country. This might be a form of "interest based currcicula". If a student has an interest in a particular area then wouldn't it make sense to approach the areas they don't have as much interest in but still have need for through their area of interest? We are now offering Developmental Reading, Developmental Writing, and Developmental Math courses in a format that approaches those areas using information and examples from the allied health arena. Students read articles and writings related to allied health, they write papers on allied health subjects and they do math problems (pre-algebra and algebra) with information related to allied health concepts. I think we will see a greater degree of this in the virtual school system as we look for new and innovative ways to connect with students that just don't thrive in the traditional setting or don't have access to the kinds of content they are interested in because their school can't offer it due to lack of funds or the size of the school.
  • Eric Folks on 11 Apr 14
     
    As much as I like the idea of teaching from home, I do hesitate to jump on board with virtual schools, especially after reading stories like this: http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2014/01/15_months_in_virtual_charter_h.html I think a blended approach with both face to face (for experiments and activities that have to be hands on) and online (for PBL and the potential for students to own their learning more, possible with objective based goal setting and self paced facilitated approach) would be ideal. Honestly, if I had a chance to teach my teachers virtually, and home school my kids using an online virtual curriculum to help provide structure (while working in much PBL and experiential learning), I'd be all over it!
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  • Olivia Basham on 13 Apr 14
     
    Eric, I had a friend who worked for K12 and when she started and was so excited to follow her experience as I imagined it would be an excellent way to reach students and I imagined that perhaps one day I could follow her. As her year unfolded and she shared what it was like for her, I quickly lost interest (at least in that particular school). She had much the same experience described in the article, except her principal was even more abusive than what was described. She was overloaded, had almost constant meetings, did 15-16 ARDs and 504 meetings a weeks (she she was one of few certified teachers, she received the majority of these students who enrolled) and felt impotent to actually help the students she was trying to teach. Worst of all she took a 40% pay cut to do it. No thanks. Nobody becomes a teacher to get rich, but I can't imagine feeling like my students were being under served while also just barely getting by financially.
  • Don Martin on 13 Apr 14
     
    Eric and Olivia, I don't believe that this type of problem is unique to the virtual school environment. Abusive administrators, overloaded instructional staff and feelings of helplessness unfortunately are more common than they should be at any level and in every format. The solution is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of virtual schools, emphasize the strengths, find ways to minimize the weaknesses and subject the process to a continuous Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). QEP, if properly developed and employed can lead to the same type of success in a virtual learning environment as is seen in a face-to-face setting. In fact there are many instances in which the quality of the online education is as good or better than what the students are getting in the face-to-face setting. The potential benefits of VLE and virtual schools should not be overlooked or simply discarded because there may be some issues. Progress is made by doing, evaluating, planning, doing again and evaluating to start the cycle over. VLE has not been around long enough for us to have had the opportunity to work out all the bugs. Look at how long we have been practicing face-to-face education and the improvements that we continue to make today in the way we deliver education in that arena, not to mention the continuous research aimed at understanding how to make it even better. Perhaps a blended approach at first is best, it gives us an opportunity to explore the potential of VLE while developing the standards, guidelines and techniques necessary to make it a successful learning experience while using the support of the familiar face-to-face environment. However, it is my opinion that this approach should be used to help us develop the best possible VLE experience for the future. Not as a replacement for face-to-face learning (I believe there will be a place for that for many years to come) but as an effective alternative for those who would benefit from it.
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 14 Apr 14
     
    I agree with Don. I think from a teacher's perspective, possibly Dr. Butler can give us some insight as to the validity of the problems stated by this teacher with regards to VLE in general.
  • lbanuelos on 14 Apr 14
     
    I too believe that a hybrid approach to instruction is the best way. Although virtual schools sounds like the way of the future, like all new technology it may not be simply for everyone. http://neatoday.org/2012/07/25/virtual-schools-not-passing-the-test/
Stephen Simon

My Students Don't Know How to Have a Conversation - Paul Barnwell - The Atlantic - 8 views

www.theatlantic.com/...360993

shared by Stephen Simon on 22 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • Turkle wrote, “Face-to-face conversation unfolds slowly. It teaches patience. When we communicate on our digital devices, we learn different habits … we start to expect faster answers. To get these, we ask one another simpler questions. We dumb down our communications, even on the most important matters.” 
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 01 May 14
       
      Dumbing down online conversations has become the norm. To me personally, I believe that it a cautionary approach to communication since the impersonal tweet or IM is too often misinterpreted. What follows is usually personal offense since there are no other cues to communication when you are online. Therefore we dumb down our communications. Even just having a voice conversation is better than posting anyday.
  • Jeff Blackman on 22 Apr 14
     
    I thought this made a really good point about the way students are using technology and how we as educators need to be mindful of the way we allow it's use. How can we effectively combine all of these incredible technology tools with a good dose of humanity?
  • ...6 more comments...
  • eeverett3 on 23 Apr 14
     
    It would be very nice if our students learn to make eye contact with each other as well...:) I cannot tell you how many times a day, students stand at my desk waiting for me to read their minds as they converse on cell phones and listen to their earbuds...I am supposed to assume they would like to use a computer and sign them in. I like to just wait them out...and I frequently say, "Words are your friends! Use them to ask for what you want!"
  • Araceli Gracia on 23 Apr 14
     
    I went to check my 18 year old son's cell phone usage and in one month he had 3143!! What do he and his friends text about is beyond me. Texting to him is so second nature, that he could with out a doubt do it without even looking at the keys. However, even with all his texting, he can hold a conversation. I feel this has to do with experiences that he has had in his life. It also helps that he is not shy. In the elementary level this not a big issue because they all love to talk not only to each other but to their teacher. I like the idea of having students use their phones to record themselves speaking, debating, etc... This is probably a good trial and error for anyone having to do any type of public speaking. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/03/text-messaging-texting-conversation_n_1566408.html
  • Jose Escobedo on 24 Apr 14
     
    "Muzzle Memory" is what my daughter developed with her cell phone when I was trying to hold a decent conversation. Every time we had a conversation, she had to pick up her smart phone to check or send a text message. Her actions were not due to a rebellious attitude but to her muzzle memory. It's part of their life and I constantly see it here at my workplace. Many can't live without looking at their phone throughout the day even in meetings. I have to constantly call out people who are on their phone while the meeting is in progress. I find it hilarious when people get grumpy since their phone is nowhere near them for motivational support.
  • Jeff Blackman on 25 Apr 14
     
    Thanks for the comments! So, what do you all think would be some ways to engage learners using both technology and human interaction? I like the way it is handled in classes I've taken through the EdTech program. I like using the technology to learn but I also like the fact that we get together 'live" and are able to interact with the instructors and each other.
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 25 Apr 14
     
    Although texting may not teach our students how to converse well, there is a lot of technology out there that promotes the skills of a good conversationalist. Below is a link which the author talks shows how technology is helping in kindergarten. Jeff, I think there are many opportunities. For example, using Collaborate, Skype or Google Hangout with students to collaborate or giving feed back. http://smartblogs.com/education/2014/04/10/using-technology-to-enrich-kindergarten-conversations/
  • Don Martin on 04 May 14
     
    I have said it before but I think it is worth saying here again. I don't think the technology or even the format of the technology is the problem. the problem is our understanding or misundertanding of how the technology can and should be used. We have always had some form of short and to the point communication whether it was a bulletin board, an announcement or a short phone message. Short messaging and quick messaging have indeed become more prevalent but that does not mean that internet technologies can't be used to promote communication. We need to recalibrate ourselves and begin studying how best to use technology in promoting communication which in turn promotes collaboration and cooperation. It may well turn out that the communication of the future looks fundamentally different from what we have seen in the past but it doesn't mean it will somehow be inferior. In fact, if we consider just the ability to communicate information and respond to immediate concerns the communications system we have evolved (or maybe revolutionized is a better word) into today is in fact far superior to what we had available to us only 10 years ago. Often times we see something as a problem or an issue because it is not what we are used to or accept as the norm when in fact what we should be doing is looking for the opportunity that has just presented to us. I believe that as a society we are in one of those pivotal moments of paradigm shift. This is one of those periods where people will look back from the future and call it the "Age of ????" What they choose to call it will depend on their perception is of how well we handled the moment and how well we adapted to the new situation. Think back to the the bronze age and the revolution that metal working brought to mankind. Compare today to the age of steam or the industrial age. I believe the comparison is warranted and that in fact this may be a more important time in human development than some of those earlier "ages".
  • Merrill Redfern on 05 May 14
     
    At the beginning of the year, I was surprised how many devices we took up in my elementary school. We have a box in the school office designated for devices. The students, as young as 2nd grade, check them in in the morning when they come to school and check them out as the school day ends. Many of those students are still learning social skills so I can understand how devices given to children that young and used freely, can influence their social skills. On the other hand, devices are great to use in education if used properly.
  • Merrill Redfern on 05 May 14
     
    Jeff, That is a good question. What are some ways to engage learners using both technology and human interaction? The first thing that comes to my mind is the reflection process. For example, students can gain and collect their information using a device and reflect on their findings with one another through human interaction. Maybe give it a "contest" theme and allow them to "one up" each other with their information. Of course, the expectations would be adjusted per grade level but this would provide an opportunity to use a device AND talk to each other. Two things kiddos, especially little ones, already love to do :).
emrodriguez

Understanding Discussion Forums and Classroom Implementation - 9 views

Good start regarding discussion forums, Kimberly. These forums are definitely beneficial to the learning experience.

Technology education classroom teaching EDTC 6340

started by kjsanders on 02 Feb 15 1 follow-up, last by emrodriguez on 03 Feb 15
summerloeffler

Using Digital Storytelling for Creative and Innovative e-Learning - 3 views

elearnmag.acm.org/featured.cfm

Technology learning Pedagogy Digital storytelling Innovation

shared by summerloeffler on 17 Jul 15 - No Cached
Gladys Suarez liked it
  • summerloeffler on 17 Jul 15
     
    This article discusses how creativity and innovation can be enhanced with e-learning systems based on digital storytelling. A story creation model called movement-oriented design (MOD) is introduced for systematically developing effective digital stories, in conjunction with story creation principles articulated by Robert McKee, a Hollywood guru of script writing. "E-learning systems can play a key role in providing creative and innovative pedagogical solutions by using digital storytelling as the underlying model." Other than creating personal autobiographies into digital storytelling format, how can we encourage teachers to diversify different ways to use digital storytelling across various subjects and disciplines? Have you ever done this with your students? What were their reactions? Did they engage more? For example, would Digital Storytelling help students visualize math problem solving scenarios better because it resembles a real-life application?
  • ...2 more comments...
  • asuarez1 on 17 Jul 15
     
    I love digital storytelling! I think that it is a creative way to have students collaborate and have students and teachers diversify their learning/teaching styles. My students are completely engaged when they create. It becomes a personal task that is a part of them. When students own their learning, they internalize it. Digital storytelling is a great way to accomplish this!
  • candacejames07 on 17 Jul 15
     
    I think digital storytelling is great and it gets kids highly motivated to develop a voice and promote writing and reading skills. One of my favorite digital storytelling tools is to have the kids create comics. Here is an example of a website you can use for comics. http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/comic/.
  • Gladys Suarez on 18 Jul 15
     
    I am going to incorporate digital story telling into my classroom. Excellent opportunity to use digital literacy in my classroom and this is a great way to get students highly motivated and engaged. Candace thanks for sharing the website. Awesome that it helps both in reading and writing!
  • Marie Evans on 18 Jul 15
     
    This is an excellent article. Digital Storytelling is very engaging for all grade levels. Students love the opportunities to be creative in an online environment. Sharing and engaging!
Merrill Redfern

Tomorrow's Classroom (2014) - YouTube - 6 views

www.youtube.com/watch

shared by Merrill Redfern on 26 Mar 14 - No Cached
  • Merrill Redfern on 26 Mar 14
     
    This video is a great example of how technology can influence a classroom for the greater good.
  • ...12 more comments...
  • Araceli Gracia on 26 Mar 14
     
    What a powerful experience. Those students will always remember, their sharing and learning with others around the world. It makes me feel so guilty focusing so much on standardized testing, especially as it the time gets closer to test. Obviously there is so much more to a student's learning than just testing. http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/effects-standardized-tests-teachers-students-10379.html
  • lbanuelos on 27 Mar 14
     
    That must have been an amazing experience for all those involved. Collaboration on a global scale offers so many opportunities for students and educators. Teachers collaborating with students as peers. Voices and opinions are shared across continents. Instructors learning from each other through sharing ideas on what it takes to become better partners in education. That sounds like exciting stuff. Araceli, I also agree that there needs to more to education that a high score on a standardized test.
  • Merrill Redfern on 28 Mar 14
     
    I couldn't agree more about standardized testing. I saw a quote one time that stated, "teachers are required to differentiate instruction to students who need to pass a standardized test." Makes one think. Our campus is currently preparing for the Writing STAAR next week. Our 4th grade teachers are doing an awesome job at trying to keep it fun. For instance, they are calling this week Writing Boot Camp and keeping all things military. Wearing camo all week, moving up a rank each time they complete a mission (homework) and then holding a boot camp graduation (party) at the end of the week are just a few of the fun activities planned. My favorite is when they march up and down the halls chanting..... momma, momma can't you see, what 4th grade has done for me.....
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 28 Mar 14
     
    Last year, I discovered epals.com. Epals.com is a safe pen pal program via the internet for classrooms around the world. Students can email and/or Skype. The best part is that classes around the world can actually work on projects together like the one in the video. http://www.epals.com/#!/main
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 28 Mar 14
     
    Merrill, the Writing Boot Camp sounds fun. I would like to find fun ways to review math. We are at the end of our review week for the ITBS exams, and I can tell my students are burning out.
  • Merrill Redfern on 29 Mar 14
     
    Brenda - I like the idea of students connecting with other students around the world. That in it self, is an education. I hope learning about other cultures, traditions as well as completing projects together will one day be more common for students as more technology advancements fill up our schools. There are always obstacles though like the lack of money, etc. On another note, we will be preparing for our STAAR Math in a few weeks. I've been tutoring Math and have found Pinterest.com a handy site for math games. http://www.pinterest.com/tlsafran/math-review-games/
  • Jose Escobedo on 30 Mar 14
     
    Talk about thinking outside the box for this teacher. I can imagine the enthusiasm those students felt everyday they interacted with each other.
  • eeverett3 on 30 Mar 14
     
    I enjoyed the video and particularly the teacher' purpose...connecting lessons to real world applications!
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 30 Mar 14
     
    Merrill, thank you for the link.
  • Araceli Gracia on 30 Mar 14
     
    Merrill, I love that idea of Writing Boot Camp. This gives the students a nice break from the same routine of passing the STAAR and only focusing on the test. I will definitely share this idea with my grade level and with 4th grade so maybe they can incorporate something fun like this for next year. Your students are very lucky that they have teachers who care enough to keep them motivated. Thanks for sharing.
  • lbanuelos on 31 Mar 14
     
    This project will definitely keep the students interested and involved. Experiences like this enhance the learning process by expanding the classroom across continents. Students learn to solve real world problems by working together. Instructors can also share teaching strategies.
  • Eric Folks on 31 Mar 14
     
    We too use Writing Boot Camps...we've noticed a huge correlation bt student's ability to write and their performance on other subject-area assessments, not to mention general weaknesses in writing TEKS. Each summer we do a Writing Boot Camp to help address those, and it seems to be paying off. Our scores have shown improvement!
  • Olivia Basham on 31 Mar 14
     
    Eric, we have also instituted a writing boot camp this year. We will see this weeks what the results are!
  • Jeff Blackman on 04 Apr 14
     
    Really inspiring! It's amazing to think how much more those kids are learning about world cultures from this kind of experience vs. reading about it in a textbook or listening to their teacher lecture. I love this type of learning because it hits so many different modes - doing, hearing, listening, conversing... Wish I'd had a teacher like that!
Merrill Redfern

How Technology Trends Have Influenced the Classroom | MindShift - 8 views

blogs.kqed.org/...-inflitrated-change-classrooms

shared by Merrill Redfern on 26 Mar 14 - No Cached
  • let’s examine which features of society (and media) have changed and then consider what we can do in education to use it as an advantage for learning.
    • Merrill Redfern
      Merrill Redfern on 26 Mar 14
       
      I like the author's approach to this article. Bringing the two worlds together (society and education) with a commonality is an example of thinking forward.
  • As students, we learned to play the game of “know your audience” when it came to writing a paper for a certain professor. Our purpose was writing for writing’s sake. Now we no longer have to limit ourselves to one recipient. Our students have access to a global audience and don’t have to write just to please one teacher. They can write based on what they see and believe to be true.
  • One of the greatest challenges to the classrooms of today is mobile technology. Do we fund a 1:1 program? Allow a Bring Your Own Device policy? Won’t this just add the distraction of the outside world into a classroom?
    • Jose Escobedo
      Jose Escobedo on 28 Mar 14
       
      As a parent, I would not oppose for my daughter to take her tablet to school. She carrys her tablet everywhere and is always reading. This has helped increase her reading skills. I am not saying this works with every child but its time we left the "seat time" concept behind.
    • Merrill Redfern
      Merrill Redfern on 29 Mar 14
       
      Jose - I agree. My 10 year old daughter also carries an Ipad around with her. I would not be against a "bring your own device" policy to school if the proper policies and procedures were in place, even for the elementary level. In a lot of cases, bringing in the outside world into education could be of significant benefit. While working with our school Ipads yesterday, I took a poll in two of my kinder classes on who had some kind of tech device at home (not mom or dads, but their own). More than 1/2 the class raised their hands and proved their skills with a library Ipad. The poll provoked some thought, it is more important than ever to provide 21st Century learning opportunities for the younger grade levels as well.
    • Jose Escobedo
      Jose Escobedo on 30 Mar 14
       
      At first, I had mixed feelings about the "bring your own device" concept until I started learning how to use a digital device in a classroom with the help of my EDTC graduate courses. I had an old school mentality until last semester when my flip phone gave up and I made the transition to a smart phone. This transition made me realize it was time to allow technology in the classroom.
    • Olivia Basham
      Olivia Basham on 31 Mar 14
       
      While I find 1:1 policies laughable (I have yet to see a school district not lose millions of dollars on these kinds of programs), I think that BYOT policies are great, as long as the teacher has some technology (I have a set of netbooks) that students who are without their own device can use. I DO think this brings the outside world into the classroom, but I also think that this is a good thing. And those teachers who find the outside world to be a distraction can still use technology; they just need to use closed systems like Edmodo.
    • Don Martin
      Don Martin on 20 Apr 14
       
      While my students are older than what we are typically talking about here I have tried to incorporate the use of personal electronic devices in the classroom for some time now. For example, I have on occasion sent my students on an internet scavenger hunt for items or information related to the content of lecture. One of the impediments to using personal electronic devices is the disparity of quality and capability based upon cost. To get around that I try to have the students work in groups using whatever devices they have available to them in their respective groups. This also creates an opportunity for collaboration.
  • Araceli Gracia on 27 Mar 14
     
    Merrill, I like the idea of Flipped Teaching, where lessons are recorded and then viewed later in the classroom. I am not sure how I would feel hearing myself give the lesson, but the kids would love it. I am sure my students get tired of hearing me give a lesson, but if I was recorded, they would possibly be more engaged with the lesson simply because I am on the computer. It is very noticeable when we do online activites, compared to just lecture, that they are more attentive. As far as the 1:1 program, I teach 3rd grade, so our district does not "allow" that type of technology in the classroom. Students bring cell phones anyways, but to use them in the classroom is not ok. Budget is always a concern on my campus, so we do not have enough technology, such as kindles and iPads, for every student. We can request them ahead of time, but that is only for the day. I can understand how it may be a distraction in the classroom, like being on other programs or texting with others. However, for the most part, students would do what the lesson call for. They would much rather do the lesson on their phone, kindle, iPad, etc, than on paper. http://www.usnews.com/education/high-schools/articles/2011/07/14/study-emerging-technology-has-positive-impact-in-classroom
  • ...1 more comment...
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 28 Mar 14
     
    I teach math, and although I don't flip my classes, I provide videos or links to videos for my students to watch at home. Videos have been a good resource for my students, especially those who miss class. My favorite sites for finding videos are Kahn Academy and LearnZillion. https://www.khanacademy.org http://learnzillion.com My school has also banned student devices due to the misuse of them in school. I find it frustrating and would love to hear how other schools have handled students using their own devices to school.
  • eeverett3 on 30 Mar 14
     
    The reason I like videos and links is so that students have access to the learning when they decide to learn it! I see way to many high school students wasting their class time and hope that they have the video or link listed somewhere when they finally see that the lesson was important not...that being said, it is crucial that the lessons we are tying to teach are important! Real world applications again...not just tests.
  • Jeff Blackman on 14 Apr 14
     
    I come from a corporate perspective and would definitely like to bring more of these types of concepts to the adult "classroom" or training situation. I think kids "get it" more, though. I notice that the adults all around our company still have trouble with just basic computing skills. So, while I'd love to adopt more mobile type learning, I wonder how it would be received. For my kids, I think they'd really accept it because they are so used to all of these devices.
Don Martin

UTILIZING WEB 2.0 IN A VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: A SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT | Emmanuel... - 4 views

www.academia.edu/...ONMENT_A_SOUTH_AFRICAN_CONTEXT

shared by Don Martin on 27 Mar 14 - No Cached
  • A virtual learning environment is a social space: educational interactions occur in the environment,turning spaces into places; Students are not only active, but also actors: they co-construct the virtual space;Virtual learning environments are not restricted to distance education: they also enrich classroom activities;Virtual learning environments integrate heterogeneous technologies and multiple pedagogical approaches;Most virtual environments overlap with physical environments.
    • Olivia Basham
      Olivia Basham on 31 Mar 14
       
      Although these are very basic forms of VLE, I think Moodle and Edmodo are excellent examples of VLEs that are easy to use and accessible to newer learners. I have a friend in New Hampshire and her whole school was able to continue to conduct classes during all the recent snow storms this winter via Edmodo.
    • Don Martin
      Don Martin on 02 Apr 14
       
      Olivia, that's a great use of VLE that is adaptive and creative. It seems that a smart and creative teacher saw an opportunity to extend the classroom and reach out to their students.
    • Don Martin
      Don Martin on 03 Apr 14
       
      https://www.diigo.com/item/p/qprrcdozcaereqaaazbdceadoo https://www.diigo.com/item/image/4kxf9/eb9c?gname=technology-in-education-pk_20 VLE is not just for distance learning. It can be used in the brick and mortar classrooom. How would you bring VLE into your classroom?
  • Jeff Blackman on 04 Apr 14
     
    So many cool applications! Maybe I'd take my class for a virtual tour somewhere, depending on what I was teaching. For example, in our new hire orientation, we could go on a virtual tour to some of our community hospitals so they can see what they look like.
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 06 Apr 14
     
    Olivia, I use Edmodo extensively in my classroom. Besides posting homework, I also post links to videos which cover math concepts that I am going over in the classroom. Students who are absent can keep up on homework and even classwork. I post links to videos from https://www.LearnZillion.com and https://www.khanacademy.org/‎. Both sites have videos on math and more.
  • lbanuelos on 07 Apr 14
     
    I agree that Edmodo keeps teachers and students in constant communication with each other. Learning can take place outside the classroom. Students can install the app on their phone so ideas can be shared at anytime.
kjsanders

The Use and Capture of Images for Computer-Based Learning II - Section 1 - 4 views

www.agocg.ac.uk/...sect1.htm

Technology e-learning edtc6340 visual_literacy education teaching

shared by kjsanders on 03 Feb 15 - Cached
  • Pictures make use of a massive range of cortical skills: colour, form, line dimension, texture, visual rhythm and especially imagination (Buzan, 1990). Imagination comes from the Latin imaginare, meaning "to picture mentally". Images are generally more evocative than words and more precise in triggering a wide range of associations, enhancing creative thinking and memory.
    • kjsanders
      kjsanders on 03 Feb 15
       
      Here's the link to the pdf for the full report: http://www.agocg.ac.uk/reports/graphics/capture2/capture.pdf
  • The capacity for recognition memory for pictures is limitless. Pictures have a direct route to long-term memory, each image storing its own information as a coherent "chunk" or concept (
  • However, the images or pictures must be meaningful to be retained (Freedman and Haber, 1974).
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • The presence of pictures relevant to the text will assist learning. Therefore, for each screen without an image, is there an image that is relevant to the information of that screen? If you can replace the text with an image, do so. Pictures not covered by the information in the text will not enhance the learning of the text. For each screen with an image what is the intended purpose of that image? If it does not have a purpose relevant to the text, remove it. The presence of pictures in the text will not aid the learning of the text which is not illustrated. Pictures can help learners to understand what they read and also to remember it. The memory's storing and recalling powers can be enhanced through the use of images for emphasis and association. Pictures can sometimes be used as substitutes for words or as producers of non-verbal information. Learners may fail to make full use of complex illustrations. Simple representations should not be discounted because they are not 'sophisticated' enough. Can the image be simplified without losing the point? If so, simplify it. Pictures may assist learners with poor verbal skills more than those with good verbal skills. By providing an additional visual explanation the holistic skills of the right side of the brain are brought into play
    • kjsanders
      kjsanders on 03 Feb 15
       
      Lists skills the use of relevant images can enhance and explains how  they benefit creative thinking and memory.
    • kjsanders
      kjsanders on 03 Feb 15
       
      Also, click on the Acrobat file link to print out the full report. Though some of this info is obsolete, there's lots of useful stuff. 
    • kjsanders
      kjsanders on 03 Feb 15
       
      This paragraph caused me to recall how Lynell Burmark talked words and how they're ineffective if we haven't first stored an image of what they represent. For example, when she asked readers to draw an Okapi before they knew what it was.
    • Rosalyn Martinez
      Rosalyn Martinez on 09 Feb 15
       
      WOW! I had the same recollection upon reading this paragraph. I even recalled the same example. The brain is an amazing organ and how it works just astonishes me. Pictures certainly help me recall information. I am definitely using more pictures in my lessons.
    • kjsanders
      kjsanders on 03 Feb 15
       
      Summary of reasons for using images instead of text.
  • Title Section 1: Images and learning Images have a direct route to long-term memory
  • kjsanders on 03 Feb 15
     
    Explanation of how images help route learning to long-term memory. The article talks about the 'cortical skills' images call into play. 
  • ...1 more comment...
  • tvisco on 07 Feb 15
     
    Great resource - it segues well with Lynell Burmark's comments in They Snooze You Lose about making powerpoint presentations mainly visual.
  • emrodriguez on 09 Feb 15
     
    This is a great article stating how important images are to learning. I like that you referenced chapter 2 on how words are useless if the learner doesn't have an idea of what it looks like. I like the article's notion that images are critical to a presentation and if it can be done, images should replace text as long as the learner understands the meaning of why that particular image was shown.
  • Rosalyn Martinez on 09 Feb 15
     
    Thank you for sharing! This was such an informative article. The brain is so intriguing. I, too, like that you referenced chapter 2. I believe images do play a vital role in our learning and recall of information. For me, an image helps make something concrete. Images help us make connections, use prior knowledge, and build on what we've just seen and learned.
ferrari78

Study: Emerging Technology Has Positive Impact in Classroom - US News - 5 views

www.usnews.com/...s-positive-impact-in-classroom

technology classroom study education impact integration computer

shared by ferrari78 on 08 Feb 15 - No Cached
  • Login Welcome, {{name}} Logout Rankings & Advice Education Health Money Travel Cars Law Firms News U.S. News Home education Facebook Twitter Education Rankings & Advice Home Colleges Grad Schools High Schools National Rankings State Rankings High School Notes Blog (function ($) { "use strict"; $(function () { var $metaCurrentState = $('meta[name=current_state_abbreviation]'), $headerSearch = $('#headerSearch-highSchools'), $headerState = $('select[name=bhs-school-state]', $headerSearch), $headerStates = $('option', $headerStates), currentStateAbbreviation = ''; if ($metaCurrentState.length > 0) { currentStateAbbreviation = $metaCurrentState.attr('content'); $headerStates.each(function () { var $state = $(this), text = $state.text(), value = $state.val(); if (text === currentStateAbbreviation) { $headerState.val(value); } }); } }); }(jQuery)); in
  • To meet the needs of her students, Roshan made radical changes to her lesson plans. Using Camtasia Studio, a screen recording and video editing program, Roshan uploaded her lectures to iTunes and assigned them as homework. "We've kind of reversed the whole dynamic of the class," she says. "Instead of lecturing in class, I lecture to them when they're at home, and we work problems together [in the classroom]. I liken it to an English classroom where the kids go home and do the reading and then they come into class and have this lively, engaging discussion."
    • ferrari78
      ferrari78 on 08 Feb 15
       
      Using the Camstasia Studio program is a great and fun way for students to learn from lectures. Here is a link to where you can try it out for free. http://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.html
  • Taught with the video lectures, Roshan's students in the 2010-11 school year scored an average of 4.11 on the AP calculus test, compared to the 3.59 average among her students who took the test and were taught in the traditional classroom setting the year before. And a third of the class—a 10 percent increase from the previous year—scored a 5, the highest score a student can achieve on an AP test.
    • ferrari78
      ferrari78 on 08 Feb 15
       
      Teacher's change in the classroom had a significant positive impact on her student's AP test scores.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • The report, IT Opportunities in the Education Market, revealed that 78 percent of K-12 teachers and administrators believe technology has positively impacted the classroom and the productivity of students. Roughly 65 percent of educators surveyed also believe that students are more productive today than they were three years ago due to the increased reliance on technology in the classroom.
  • Login Welcome, {{name}} Logout Rankings & Advice Education Health Money Travel Cars Law Firms News U.S. News Home education Facebook Twitter Education Rankings & Advice Home Colleges Grad Schools High Schools National Rankings State Rankings High School Notes Blog (function ($) { "use strict"; $(function () { var $metaCurrentState = $('meta[name=current_state_abbreviation]'), $headerSearch = $('#headerSearch-highSchools'), $headerState = $('select[name=bhs-school-state]', $headerSearch), $headerStates = $('option', $headerStates), currentStateAbbreviation = ''; if ($metaCurrentState.length > 0) { currentStateAbbreviation = $metaCurrentState.attr('content'); $headerStates.each(function () { var $state = $(this), text = $state.text(), value = $state.val(); if (text === currentStateAbbreviation) { $headerState.val(value); } }); } }); }(jQuery)); in
  • Jim Tracy, headmaster at Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Mass., sees the "process of technology coming into the classroom as inevitable."
    • ferrari78
      ferrari78 on 08 Feb 15
       
      Technology in the classroom is here to stay and students need to learn the necessary tools to not stay behind. Check this video out on how a teacher is using iPads in his math classroom. http://www.jamfsoftware.com/resources/hopkins-public-schools-advancing-technology-in-the-classroom/
  • ferrari78 on 08 Feb 15
     
    This is an article about how a calculus teacher used technology in the classroom to help her students AP calculus test scores increase. I currently teach 2nd grade and I use the digital lessons for math, science, and reading to make the lesson more fun and get more participation from students and it works great. My question to you is, how would you use technology to impact your students learning and productivity in the classroom in a positive way?
  • ...3 more comments...
  • ferrari78 on 08 Feb 15
     
    Everyone that wants to integrate technology in the classroom should watch this.
  • tvisco on 08 Feb 15
     
    Interesting examples. It's weird how if you record a video of yourself teaching, students pay attention but if you stand in front of the classroom, you're boring and invisible. But I accept it because I've watched myself do the exact same thing: a presenter shows a film of themselves and it's immediately engaging even though she's right there on stage in person! I've read some recent criticism of the Khan flipped learning video approach that says students are still learning passively, they're just doing it at home rather than at school. I disagree. As with the videos in our own class, I can watch them as many times as I need to understand what's going on. I like that. I don't think it's "passive" at all. The key seems to be having some work connected to it which is the piece I think some of these critics are missing. We're not watching a video for entertainment - there's always a task connected to it.
  • emrodriguez on 08 Feb 15
     
    I believe that the article you selected is very interesting. I like how the article describes one particular math teacher implementing technology to improve her students' scores. It also gave another side stating that some districts simply don't have the funds to buy technology or that the budget should not be used to throw gadgets to fix certain problems. That teachers in certain areas would be better off getting better training. As with everything else, there are two sides to everything, but I do believe that technology has an effective role in the classroom. When I was a teacher aide for a special education unit, the teacher had me set up a SmartBoard, which proved to be beneficial to the students. A huge task for myself and the teacher was to keep the students on task and not let their disabilities hinder teaching. So after I set up the SmartBoard, the teacher used it during the students' social skills time. During this period in the day, students would learn how to act appropriately with others and the good behavior that was expected of them. By playing educational games against each other, students learned about what the teacher was explaining through a game and how to act accordingly with their peers. It proved to be an effective technology.
  • ferrari78 on 09 Feb 15
     
    Tammy I completely agree with you how if we lecture to students, we're boring and invisible and their attention levels drop. I also remember when I was taking undergraduate courses, I had several instructors that were monotone and they made the class boring. Now, a few times I recorded the lectures and would later listen to them at home and I would get more from listening to the lecture at home than when I sat in class because I am not listening to it for entertainment, but rather to learn for my class. This class is a perfect example. I have to listen to the youtube tutorials on everything we've been learning over and over until I get it.
  • ferrari78 on 09 Feb 15
     
    You're so right, school districts shouldn't throw money to try to fix certain things, but rather use the funds to better train teachers to prepare them for the classroom. My article states that school districts budgets range from $5 million to over $100 million so some districts are able to throw money at new gadgets and technology more than others. Gadgets should be purchased, but only if they are going to be properly used in the classroom to improve student's academic success. As for Smartboard, I'm going to look it up and see if maybe I can use it in my classroom. Good post Emmanuel.
Stephen Simon

How Collaborative Learning Leads to Student Success | Edutopia - 8 views

www.edutopia.org/borative-learning-college-prep

shared by Stephen Simon on 14 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • "What our collaborative learning style empowers and enables is a student's resilience -- how do you look to your neighbor as a resource, how do you test your own theories, how do you understand if you're on the right track or the wrong track?"
  • But now it's clear to her why allowing her students to learn in this way is so powerful. "They're learning more than just math," she says. "They're learning to be more proactive; they're learning how to depend on their peers. When they go off to college, they already know how to work with people and draw out their strengths."
    • lbanuelos
      lbanuelos on 20 Apr 14
       
      When students engage in peer learning, the build self esteem and a sense of responsibility. http://www.cte.cornell.edu/teaching-ideas/engaging-students/collaborative-learning.html
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 01 May 14
       
      Being more proactive enhances how we move forward with advancements in every discipline. College Prep forces students to learn to depend on each other in times of need and stress. Leaving the nest is an experience that everyone who goes away for college encounters. The more at ease you feel when join a new group in a new setting just lubricates the learning environment.
    • Don Martin
      Don Martin on 04 May 14
       
      I like the statement that students are learning more than math. What are they learning? They are learning life skills that cross the content area boundaries. Skills such as critical thinking which are so important in problem solving, creativity and general success can only be learned through collaborative learning. It is not possible to learn to depend on peers or to learn teamwork without working with others in a collaborative environment. In order to be proactive you have to be able to see the possibilities before they occur, this can't be done without interacting with a complex environment that involves others. You cannot predict in a system you have no familiarity with. Collaboration is a key scaffolding tool in the effort to constantly expand understanding and performance.
  • In math, for instance, the teachers prompt the students to ask each other their questions before asking the teacher, so that students learn to rely on their own collective wisdom.
    • lbanuelos
      lbanuelos on 20 Apr 14
       
      Peer learning is a mutual experience where student make equal contributions. Learning is also less formal. It may start in the classroom but can continue through social media.
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 01 May 14
       
      It's now OK to ask your classmate for help. This is a great idea and really fosters two things: learning and socialization. When certain tasks are intentionally harder, it nudges the student to explore if their classmates are having the same situation: a shared learning experience. This is an awesome approach to what can be both tedious and difficult in nature. This particular paradigm to math will foster metacognition in the individual learner.
  • lbanuelos on 14 Apr 14
     
    With the onset of many Web 2.0 tools we can all agree that collaboration is easier that ever before. As a student in high school I remember doing poorly in one of my Spanish classes so my teacher sat me next to another student that was doing much better. Together all three of us formed a partnership that ultimately helped me pass that class. Back then I never really understood why it was easier for me to learn with the help of my peer. How can we as educators encourage collaboration in the classroom? http://www.smu.edu/~/media/Site/Simmons/CCCD/Peer%20Teaching%20in%20Math.ashx
  • ...10 more comments...
  • eeverett3 on 14 Apr 14
     
    After the sticker shock of the private high school costs, I was able to focus on the many ways they are using collabortion! What I enjoy in collaborative efforts is watching the students justify their answers/opinions. That is going to serve them well in future jobs.
  • Jeff Blackman on 14 Apr 14
     
    I think the tools we will be showcasing in this class could be one way. I didn't realize there were so many of these types of tools out there and I'm looking forward to hearing about more. It can be overwhelming, though. So, I'd pick one or two to focus on and get my students going on those.
  • Araceli Gracia on 14 Apr 14
     
    Luis, I think teachers and administration would encourage more collaboration, but since everything is so data driven, they are weary of what that would do to their numbers especially in the upper grades. I like the idea of collaboration because like your article mentioned students do not all have to agree and they are able to challenge each others ideas. The opportunity to work with others gives everyone a chance to learn from one another, however there could be students who do not like being part of a group. My younger son sometimes does get frustrated when in a group, since he is just one of those who likes to work alone. http://www.districtadministration.com/article/benefits-teacher-collaboration
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 17 Apr 14
     
    As a math teacher, I love having my students collaborate. However, I found that just throwing a group of students together and hoping for the best does not work. I found an article called "So Collaborative Learning Tips and Strategies for Teachers" that summarizes a lot of what I have learned in to have successful collaborate learning. Check it out, it is one that you might like to bookmark for future reference. http://www.teachthought.com/learning/20-collaborative-learning-tips-and-strategies/
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 17 Apr 14
     
    Elizabeth, I had to laugh at your mentioning the sticker shock! I was thinking I must be in the wrong private school. Although my private school is in Texas, the Archdiocese of San Antonio decided to incorporate the instructional shifts of Common Core, especially the mathematical practices. I find that collaboration is strongly needed in satisfying these practices. Collaborating is essential in make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. (MP.1) and constructing viable arguments and critiquing the reasoning of others. (MP.3) One of my favorite activities is to put a challenging problem on the board and have the students collaborate in groups to solve it. Then the groups debate between themselves as to the correct answers. We have many lively discussions. http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/
  • Don Martin on 20 Apr 14
     
    For me the best thing about collaboration is that it all fits well with the things that I feel work best in the classroom. I am a big proponent of scaffolding in the zone of proximal development. Problem based learning (PBL) and task centered learning (TCL) are two of my favorite scaffolding tools. Many of the web 2.0 tools we have seen this semester are excellent tools to help develop PBL and TCL experiences. The collaborative nature of many of the Web 2.0 tools lends itself well to learners helping learners and I think this is the best method of learning that we can foster in our classrooms whether they are online or face to face. Collaboration is great but it needs structure and guidance in order to be effective and have long lasting results.
  • Eric Folks on 20 Apr 14
     
    I'd say I'm going to play devil's advocate here and argue what I don't really believe, but I'll be honest: I'm on the fence about collaborative learning. I know in this day and age disparaging collaborative learning is like arguing for ObamaCare in Texas, especially with Social Media and sharing tools everywhere - many, many of which I use and advocate - but working in a group sometimes frustrates the snot out of me, and I'm not alone. http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/archive/cl1/cl/story/middlecc/TSCMD.htm#speed Some people like to just get the work done on their own, at their own speed, without all the trials and tribulations of working in a group. Here it is, Sunday night, and my son and I are waiting to hear back on a video presentation due tomorrow for his 8th grade English class. Obviously they're done with their Staar test and have more time and flexibility than they did a couple months ago, but the teacher has instructed them to work together collaboratively on a video version of a book they read...completely outside of class. So having worked through the challenges of scheduling a shooting time for the raw clips, and the challenges of everyone voicing different ideas on what to shoot, how to shoot, how to operate and so on, we finally got all the raw footage put together Friday afternoon. I keep saying "we" because for some reason my wife didn't want my 13 year old son going over to someone's house and recording themselves shooting BB guns !? Anyway, we specifically agreed and confirmed with one kid, who volunteered to do the editing and put the video together, that we wouldn't wait till Monday to see it for the first time. I send him the footage clips in the form of a Dropbox link Friday evening. At 12:15 AM last night he says he just got them and will hopefully get the video to us sometime today (even though the sent email below showed he rec'd the email Friday). Same old small group story. I know there are times when we need to collaborate in the real w
  • Jose Escobedo on 20 Apr 14
     
    Eric, I feel your pain. I have to say I remember those days when my kids brought group projects and were always waiting for the group to meet during the weekend. Like always dad had to help on Sunday night. Of course the main excuse they got from their peers was the lack of transportation. Luis made a good point when he mentioned the availability of Web 2.0 tools. With all these real time collaboration tools it should be easier for my youngest daughter once she gets to Middle School and HS.
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 20 Apr 14
     
    Eric, I also feel your pain. My daughter ends up doing most of the work on collaborative projects. But I think with the tips in the link I left and teachers giving students time to work on projects in class, a lot of this pain we go through could be alleviated.
  • Don Martin on 26 Apr 14
     
    Eric, I believe the fault is not in the concept of collaborative learning but in the design of the collaborative project. How can there be a fault in any learning tool or style that works? When we look at anything we do or use in the classroom if that system fails it is usually a design flaw as a result of the creator. Power Point is a great example, I don't claim to be a power user of Power Point but I know what the system is capable of and I know when I have seen a really bad presentation. Collaboration is no different, it takes a great deal of thought and effort on the part of the instructor to create a successful collaborative exercise that can be used to scaffold a class or subject effectively. I think that if you went back and looked at the design of the project you could probably identify ways to make it better and make it work. If you do that you should send feedback to your child's teacher, let them know what the problem was for your child and give them feedback on how to fix it. Remember, teachers are learners too!
  • Eric Folks on 26 Apr 14
     
    Don, I train 240 teachers and even more para professionals and staff on an ongoing basis. I get that they are learner too. My point was not that any and all collaborative learning models are flawed; it was that it's proponents seem to go unchallenged and in practice, many times anything deemed or labeled "collaborative" is considered good teaching. I believe collaborative learning has its place, but I also believe individual learning does as well. If the project is collaborative, there must be clearly delineated roles and rubrics, and "group" grades must be coupled with grades that target individual contributions. Google Docs and Murally are just two tools of many I share with teachers to more accurately determine who has done what and when.
  • Stephen Simon on 01 May 14
     
    "How Collaborative Learning Leads to Student Success"
lbanuelos

Integrating Web 2.0 Tools into the Classroom: Changing the Culture of Learning | CCT - 5 views

cct.edc.org/...room-changing-culture-learning

shared by lbanuelos on 14 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • Educators are using Web 2.0 tools to promote new avenues of communication among teachers, students, and the community in ways that can strengthen the community of learners.
    • lbanuelos
      lbanuelos on 20 Apr 14
       
      Communication and collaboration promote learning.
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 01 May 14
       
      Web 2.0 content roadblocks to delivery are obstructions that can be avoided by utilizing tools which place no such restrictions on student access. Here is a link to some of those resources: http://www.jogtheweb.com/run/6fHHrXqPLFpm/Web-20-No-Registration-Necessary
  • lbanuelos on 14 Apr 14
     
    This report represents the finding from a two-year investigation on how Web 2.0 tools and social networking technologies support teaching. One of the things I found most interesting is that instructors are using these tools to incorporate parents into the learning process. Research suggests that parent involvement has a positive effect on academic performance. How are you connecting parents to the classroom? http://www.education.com/reference/article/benefits-parent-involvement-research/ http://www.childtrends.org/?indicators=parental-involvement-in-schools
  • ...7 more comments...
  • lbanuelos on 14 Apr 14
  • eeverett3 on 14 Apr 14
     
    Great articles! Increased parent involvement and web 2.0 tools to increase communication! Everyone take note that "ease of use" was a major factor in wether or not teachers would use a new tool! We have to make this easy for our teachers...
  • Araceli Gracia on 14 Apr 14
     
    Elizabeth, I am guilty of being one of those teachers that is all about the "ease of use". If it is something that takes too much time, I will just find another tool that is quicker. Thankfully through this class ,I have learned so many tools that not only I, but my students can use in the classroom and at home. One of the problems that I had encounter in the past is having sites blocked by our school district. The Web 2.0 tools that I have recently used in my class have not been blocked so it is great to be able to share them with my students. Having the technology to communicate with parents and students is another plus. There can be many ways to communicate with parents even if it is a simple email. I have many parents who ask me to email them instead of calling because that is just a better way of communication for them. Merrill had mentioned a website last week called Kidblog. Having students participate in this is a perfect example of how technology is being used outside the classroom.
  • Jeff Blackman on 14 Apr 14
     
    To date, my kids' teachers have not used any type of Web 2.0 tools to allow for us (parents) to get involved. That's not to say that they don't involve us in other ways but I can definitely see some potential there. Outside of school, I have found it interesting that the stage manager of a play my son is in uses Shutterfly as a way to communicate with the cast and parents. We get reminders, participate in discussion boards, sign up for things, get a calendar - all within this site she has set up. It's pretty cool and definitely helps me as a parent to know what is going on. I'd always thought Shutterfly was just for photos so it was very enlightening to learn about this whole new functionality.
  • Merrill Redfern on 15 Apr 14
     
    Our campus supports the use of Twitter and Facebook for parent communication. In fact, our PTO has their own Facebook page in which they communicate all activities and upcoming events and encourage parent questions. In addition, each grade level has their own closed Facebook page where they communicate to parents about field trips, special occasions and post pictures of students hard at work. This is not the only form of communication. The teachers continue to send out flyers and documents home with their students. Personally, I maintain a Twitter account for our Library. I tweet (still so weird to use the word "tweet") information such as new book arrivals, facts/history about the library, and advertise book fairs/club etc. http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/06/ultimate-guide-to-use-of-facebook-in.html
  • lbanuelos on 17 Apr 14
     
    Yes Elizabeth, ease of use is a must but with so many web 2.0 tools out there, finding one shouldn't be an issue. I also believe that fear of change is another factor that should be considered. So many professionals are not happy about change. They need to be shown the benefits of these new technologies and provided a support system to help them adapt. Besides teachers, parents may also have reservations about technology. I believe that if parents are exposed to technology when their children first start school (pre-k), they will be less resistant as the years go by. Jeff, my son's school doesn't use any tools either. I still get notices by paper. I can contact the teacher by email but that is about as high tech as it gets. I never thought about Shutterfly as a communication tools. I'd like to see the same type of initiative at our local school district. I believe that it will enhance parent participation. Merrill, I like that your campus supports Twitter and Facebook for parent communication. That's great that you maintain a twitter account at your library to let students know about new arrivals. If you tweet them, they will come.
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 17 Apr 14
     
    Interesting! Last year, I introduced Edmodo to the middle school students. I used it mainly to post assignments and interesting links and videos. However, it seemed that students only used it about 50% of the time and the parents were unaware of the parent accounts (even though I had sent a paper home). So this year, at a mandatory technology parent meeting, I presented a PowerPoint to parents about Edmodo and how to register for an account. I really wanted the parents involved. Especially since late homework is an issue in our school. I can say that for the parents that use Edmodo, their children rarely miss handing in homework. Those parents are also greatly appreciative of my efforts in keeping them in the loop. I agree that parent involvement has a positive effect on academic performance, and informing parents is a good thing.
  • Don Martin on 20 Apr 14
     
    Unfortunately, in my arena connecting parents to the classroom isn't really an option or a concern. I teach at the college level and while many of the things we discuss in this class are applicable at every level of instruction the idea of parental involvement is not an option when we are working with adult learners. Collaboration, engagement, web 2.0 technologies, and so much more that we have talked about are universal concepts in education but by the time they reach me the time for parental influence has passed. Hopefully their parents have had some interest in their education but at the college level I can't even share any of their education history or information with their parents without express written consent from the learner.
  • Jose Escobedo on 20 Apr 14
     
    I am not well versed on what is allowed in the classroom as far as technology but if it's easy and fun to use why not implement the Web tool.
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