The final chapter of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms summarizes all of the tools and the pedagogies we have learned about and how they all impact education. Almost every tool that comes out these days makes it easy to connect and create with others.
I like how chapter ten spells out the "big shifts" in technology today:
#1 Open Content-not just from texts books anymore!
#2 Many, Many Teachers and 24/7 Learning-students don't just learn in the classroom with one teacher.
#3 The Social, Collaborative Construction of Meaningful Knowledge-Read/Write Web allows students to produce work in collaborative ways for large audiences.
#4 Teaching is Conversation, Not Lecture-the new expectation is that "ideas are presented as the starting point for dialogue, not the ending point."
#5 Know "Where" Learning-how to find information.
#6 Readers are No Longer Just Readers-students can converse and interact with the sources they find.
#7 The Web as Notebook-links to any relevant information.
#8 Writing Is No Longer Limited to Text-we can write in different genres, write in video, audio, music and photos.
#9 Mastery Is the Product, Not the Test-So many ways to show mastery of a subject!
#10 Contribution, Not Completion, as the Ultimate Goal-ongoing learning experience!
Be a Collaborator!
Use your tools!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Chapter 9
I have been a fan of social networking for a few years now. I access Facebook as a hobby and have done so for about 3 years. I don't watch a lot of television, so at night when it is time to sit down and relax...I log on to Facebook. I enjoy staying connected with current friends, friends of the past and family members. I think it is amazing that we can get caught up on the lives of others in just a matter of minutes! I also utilize Facebook to check up (creep) on my own kids and my nieces and nephews! This is an easy way to see if they safely use technology and to see if they are making good choices.
Facebook also assists me in some lesson planning for my classroom. I have connected with classmates from college and previous jobs and we often exchange ideas. We also offer one another support to get through the tough days! It is fun to laugh and stress together!
After reading about Ning, I was so excited to get on my computer to check it out and give it a try. I was disappointed to find that it is no longer a free site! I did, however, check out the other people's Ning pages as mentioned in the book. They were set up in a very interesting way, all containing a lot of information with various links to yet more information! To me, a Ning seems like a fancy blog. I would like to learn more about it, but I am not willing to pay for it at this point.
Facebook also assists me in some lesson planning for my classroom. I have connected with classmates from college and previous jobs and we often exchange ideas. We also offer one another support to get through the tough days! It is fun to laugh and stress together!
After reading about Ning, I was so excited to get on my computer to check it out and give it a try. I was disappointed to find that it is no longer a free site! I did, however, check out the other people's Ning pages as mentioned in the book. They were set up in a very interesting way, all containing a lot of information with various links to yet more information! To me, a Ning seems like a fancy blog. I would like to learn more about it, but I am not willing to pay for it at this point.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Chapter 8
A simple fact today is that it has become so easy to create and consume multimedia as well as text and digital images. From podcasting to video publishing to screencasting and live streaming, all are being used in schools for educational purposes.
Podcasting is the creation and distribution of amateur radio. Sound complicated at first, but you don't need a lot of technical expertise to make it work! Everyday people can just talk about topics that interest them. It has become the rage....even elementary schools are creating their own podcasts!
Video publishing is much more familiar to me than podcasting. YouTube has made video publishing a breeze...and it's free! This form of publication is most popular with middle school and high school students and can also be used as an educational tool.
Another option for students is screencasting. This is when you put your voice with whatever you are showing on your computer screen. Again, I thought of my visual learners!
The most recent addition to the multimedia publishing world is live streaming. You can actually create your own TV showonline in just a few clicks! I could go start a show right now on Ustream.tv! Wow, pretty impressive stuff!
Podcasting is the creation and distribution of amateur radio. Sound complicated at first, but you don't need a lot of technical expertise to make it work! Everyday people can just talk about topics that interest them. It has become the rage....even elementary schools are creating their own podcasts!
Video publishing is much more familiar to me than podcasting. YouTube has made video publishing a breeze...and it's free! This form of publication is most popular with middle school and high school students and can also be used as an educational tool.
Another option for students is screencasting. This is when you put your voice with whatever you are showing on your computer screen. Again, I thought of my visual learners!
The most recent addition to the multimedia publishing world is live streaming. You can actually create your own TV showonline in just a few clicks! I could go start a show right now on Ustream.tv! Wow, pretty impressive stuff!
Chapter 7
Flickr is a cool website. I had never heard about it until I read this chapter. It is a great educational tool for teachers. I immediately thought of my visual learners when I read this chapter. I think they will love learning from and creating pictures with annotations.
Another reason why Flickr is neat is because it can connect people from around the world. You can search for pictures of anything at all and see where the pictures were sent from. You can also search for videos!
Out of all of the websites we have learned about, Flickr was the easiest website, in my opinion, to navigate first try! After reading the chapter, I went right to the site and set up an account. I downloaded pics right away, set up a profile page and I am good to go!
Another reason why Flickr is neat is because it can connect people from around the world. You can search for pictures of anything at all and see where the pictures were sent from. You can also search for videos!
Out of all of the websites we have learned about, Flickr was the easiest website, in my opinion, to navigate first try! After reading the chapter, I went right to the site and set up an account. I downloaded pics right away, set up a profile page and I am good to go!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Chapter 4
Oops! I went and skipped right over chapter 4 thinking I had already read it!
Wikis.....not as user friendly as Blogs if you ask me! All I know is that for years, I have been using Wikipedia.org for research. It is not until now that I realize that "wiki" means quick. I now understand (since I read the chapters out of order) how cool it is that we can use this site to add information on various subjects and all learn from one another.
This chapter provides an important reminder that knowing what sources to trust is becoming a much more labor-intensive exercise, and wikis, with many often anonymous authors, make even more difficult. It also provides the reader with so many wiki options/ideas for classrooms and schools. Being a visual learner, I love all the pictures the book offers to support what it is describing.
Love the Wiki Prayer:
Please grant me the serenity to accept the pages I cannot edit,
The courage to edit the pages I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Wikis.....not as user friendly as Blogs if you ask me! All I know is that for years, I have been using Wikipedia.org for research. It is not until now that I realize that "wiki" means quick. I now understand (since I read the chapters out of order) how cool it is that we can use this site to add information on various subjects and all learn from one another.
This chapter provides an important reminder that knowing what sources to trust is becoming a much more labor-intensive exercise, and wikis, with many often anonymous authors, make even more difficult. It also provides the reader with so many wiki options/ideas for classrooms and schools. Being a visual learner, I love all the pictures the book offers to support what it is describing.
Love the Wiki Prayer:
Please grant me the serenity to accept the pages I cannot edit,
The courage to edit the pages I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Chapter 6
This picture reminded me of the information presented in Chapter 6. While I totally agree that the world wide web is truly amazing, it has to have had some effect on personal relationships....just saying! I am a fan of Facebook and Twitter. I find it interesting and entertaining, but once again I find myself reading this chapter and feeling blown away by all of the information that is out there that I was totally unaware of! This chapter is full of various links and connections that can take you to places and sites that I never would have know existed! I can't wait to check out the Delicious bookmark site!So, the idea that we can use social networks to tap into the work of others to support our own learning is an important concept to understand. As an educator, I am feeling a little guilty that I haven't brushed up on my knowledge and skills sooner, but guess I should give myself a pat on the back for taking this class! Baby steps!
Chapter 5
I found chapter 5 to be extremely informative, but overwhelming at the same time. I like the idea of being able to consume a lot of information in more efficient and relevant ways. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is an amazing form of technology and it makes so much sense....but I still feel so confused and lost!
I thought Google Reader was the coolest thing when we tried it out in class, but I find myself lacking confidence with it while sitting at home. Why is that? I have tried subscribing to various sites...some I am successful with and some not. Why is that? I guess I just need to keep at it and get more comfortable with basic subscribing and managing functions of Reader before I go on! I like the suggestion of starting with about ten feeds so as to not get overwhelmed (ha! too late!).
With new technology appearing daily, it's no surprise that there is a whole new language to learn as well! "Feed settings" makes me hungry, filter makes me want a cup of coffee and aggregator sounds like something provocative if you ask me!
I thought Google Reader was the coolest thing when we tried it out in class, but I find myself lacking confidence with it while sitting at home. Why is that? I have tried subscribing to various sites...some I am successful with and some not. Why is that? I guess I just need to keep at it and get more comfortable with basic subscribing and managing functions of Reader before I go on! I like the suggestion of starting with about ten feeds so as to not get overwhelmed (ha! too late!).
With new technology appearing daily, it's no surprise that there is a whole new language to learn as well! "Feed settings" makes me hungry, filter makes me want a cup of coffee and aggregator sounds like something provocative if you ask me!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Chapter 3
I believe that Weblogs can play an important role in my classroom! I realize that I need to decide on an area of focus (I have some thoughts) and that I need to model good blogging for my students once we have a Weblog up and running. For me, the biggest challenge will be getting into the habit of regular reflection and to stop being so self conscious about my thoughts!
I appreciated the reminder in this chapter which reads, "this is a learning tool and my not necessarily be the place where you want to air your complaints about the board of education, parents, or particular students. Public writing demands discretion, especially in an educational setting. And remember too that what you write stays with you. Each post contributes to your online portfolio, which may turn up in future Google searches." Words to live by for sure!
I also apprciated the section of this chapter which gives step by step directions on how to beging blogging with students in a classroom. The way it is recommended is to start small. This makes starting a Weblog manageable and not overwhelming!
I appreciated the reminder in this chapter which reads, "this is a learning tool and my not necessarily be the place where you want to air your complaints about the board of education, parents, or particular students. Public writing demands discretion, especially in an educational setting. And remember too that what you write stays with you. Each post contributes to your online portfolio, which may turn up in future Google searches." Words to live by for sure!
I also apprciated the section of this chapter which gives step by step directions on how to beging blogging with students in a classroom. The way it is recommended is to start small. This makes starting a Weblog manageable and not overwhelming!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Chapter 2
After reading chapter 2, I find myself feeling more incompetant than ever when it comes to my technological skills in the 21st century. I have to admit, that I have enjoyed learning how to set up a new blog, but I have been asking myself why anyone would want to invest so much time with the upkeep of it. Well, I think I have a better understanding now.
First of all, I can't believe blogging has been taking place for almost a decade and I had never even heard of it! I laughed when I read that blogging takes as much skill as sending an e-mail! I am also blown away by the endless possibilities a blog can have, especially a classroom blog. How cool is Mr. C's class blog? He raises an important point about collaboration between classrooms as being unusual. It's so true, but he has his classroom collaborating with classrooms on the other side of the globe! What an amazing experience for his students.
Chapter 2 has left me wanting to learn more and become more fluent in my blogging. I am still feeling unsure about my comments and what I have to say, but hopefully that will improve the more I blog!
First of all, I can't believe blogging has been taking place for almost a decade and I had never even heard of it! I laughed when I read that blogging takes as much skill as sending an e-mail! I am also blown away by the endless possibilities a blog can have, especially a classroom blog. How cool is Mr. C's class blog? He raises an important point about collaboration between classrooms as being unusual. It's so true, but he has his classroom collaborating with classrooms on the other side of the globe! What an amazing experience for his students.
Chapter 2 has left me wanting to learn more and become more fluent in my blogging. I am still feeling unsure about my comments and what I have to say, but hopefully that will improve the more I blog!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Chapter 1
Chapter one was tough to get through! I know it is important information, but anything new is not fun at first! I had no idea what a blog even was, so although an introduction is important, I am looking forward to the following chapters to learn hands on how to run/maintain a blog!
I am glad to be in a class with other adults who share the same fears as me! I wish I could be more like my students....fearless and willing to attempt anything on a computer!
I am glad to be in a class with other adults who share the same fears as me! I wish I could be more like my students....fearless and willing to attempt anything on a computer!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)