Here, Paula, a 5th grade teacher, introduces her wiki called WikiThink, which raises some very interesting questions about deep collaboration, creation in the classroom, and meaningful interaction between students and teachers such as... What is collaboration? What is the purpose of a wiki? Which are best? What are kids doing on them? Are they regurgitating or creating? Working alone or collectively?
I am always curious how to get students engaged. And, what exactly does it mean to be engaged? Paula mentions the 8 Qualities of Engaging Work, which include personal experience, choice, novelty/variety, learning with others, sense of audience, clear/modeled expectations, and more. The students, she said, have to want to be connected. It needs to be more than teacher-created structures and more student-created structures or groups collaborating on their own and not because the teacher told them to. This has been the greatest takeaway for me. Along with this, she says, "relationships built on honor and respect between people coupled with quality tasks is the formula for engagement." This is, of course, something I would like to foster in my own classroom. I want students to be able to work with other students and use their own strengths to research and create something meaningful. After all, I believe it is those lessons learn that mean the most to us, that we learn the most from. We, as teachers, have to not "play school" but teach our kids how to retain information and then apply what they have learned. " School is not the point, but a path."
Friday, February 26, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Feb.17: Reflection on Joyce Valenza's "Wizard of Apps"
First, I want to say what a great job the Theatre II class did on making that video! It was funny, creative, and informative!
High school students and their librarian make a parody of the "Wizard of Oz "to help us learn about Ethical Digital Citizenship, Research Apps, Triangulation, PLN, Presenting to an Audience, and Communication/Collaboration.
In the digital citizenship segment, "Glenda" told us about transformative thinking in deciding which sites are good and which are bad. She mentioned noodletools. This is a site I have used several times for making works cited pages in high school. I would recommend it to my students. Some of the research apps "Glenda" mentioned would be very helpful in my own history classes. For example, wikis and blogs (both of which I intend to use extensively in my own classroom), Google's many search options, online database widgets (Ebsco, Gale, Proquest, JSTOR, NYTimes)- all of which are essential to historical research and which I plan to make use of in teaching students how to research. I could put these widgets on a classroom blog and that way the students could have easy access to all their research materials. She presented Google News Timelines, for example. I browsed this. I like it, but I'm not sure I would recommend it as a first line of defense because there are way too many ads cluttering the screen...distracting!
She also mentioned triangulation, a word of which I have never heard. It is basically a filter for garbage (GIGO: garbage in, garbage out). She advises to ask questions of the sources found online.
She provided a dozen creative websites from which students could find pictures, make movies, play with words, etc... I could use voicethread as a tool in the classroom by allowing students to create reviews of chapters on voicethread, or even to present a chapter or part of a chapter, to the class. The best way to learn is to teach others.
"Glenda" also told us about communication and collaboration. One of my favorite tools she introduced here was the idea of Skyping an author. What a great idea! I think it would be more exciting for librarians, English teachers, or elementary teachers. But, I could use it as a French teacher, perhaps.
All in all, "Glenda" presented a great collection of resources. I'm still browsing them all. There are so many! One site I looked into, out of curiosity, was wordle.net. Here, students and teachers can play with words to create some interesting configurations. I played it myself, and I thought it was cool. In brainstorming how to use this, I thought of: students could use it in presentations, I could use it for an introduction into a new unit, or better yet a review of a unit. The students can see all the key words to study.
Great video!
High school students and their librarian make a parody of the "Wizard of Oz "to help us learn about Ethical Digital Citizenship, Research Apps, Triangulation, PLN, Presenting to an Audience, and Communication/Collaboration.
In the digital citizenship segment, "Glenda" told us about transformative thinking in deciding which sites are good and which are bad. She mentioned noodletools. This is a site I have used several times for making works cited pages in high school. I would recommend it to my students. Some of the research apps "Glenda" mentioned would be very helpful in my own history classes. For example, wikis and blogs (both of which I intend to use extensively in my own classroom), Google's many search options, online database widgets (Ebsco, Gale, Proquest, JSTOR, NYTimes)- all of which are essential to historical research and which I plan to make use of in teaching students how to research. I could put these widgets on a classroom blog and that way the students could have easy access to all their research materials. She presented Google News Timelines, for example. I browsed this. I like it, but I'm not sure I would recommend it as a first line of defense because there are way too many ads cluttering the screen...distracting!
She also mentioned triangulation, a word of which I have never heard. It is basically a filter for garbage (GIGO: garbage in, garbage out). She advises to ask questions of the sources found online.
She provided a dozen creative websites from which students could find pictures, make movies, play with words, etc... I could use voicethread as a tool in the classroom by allowing students to create reviews of chapters on voicethread, or even to present a chapter or part of a chapter, to the class. The best way to learn is to teach others.
"Glenda" also told us about communication and collaboration. One of my favorite tools she introduced here was the idea of Skyping an author. What a great idea! I think it would be more exciting for librarians, English teachers, or elementary teachers. But, I could use it as a French teacher, perhaps.
All in all, "Glenda" presented a great collection of resources. I'm still browsing them all. There are so many! One site I looked into, out of curiosity, was wordle.net. Here, students and teachers can play with words to create some interesting configurations. I played it myself, and I thought it was cool. In brainstorming how to use this, I thought of: students could use it in presentations, I could use it for an introduction into a new unit, or better yet a review of a unit. The students can see all the key words to study.
Great video!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
Feb.5: Talking with Students
Here is a link to a comment I left on a student video project called "Share Our Knowledge With the World" about gender stereotypes...
https://21globalleadership.wikispaces.com/message/view/Alix/19818363
https://21globalleadership.wikispaces.com/message/view/Alix/19818363
Feb. 5: Talking with Classmates
Here are two links to classmate blogs on which I have commented:
http://sewardfelisha.blogspot.com/2010/02/video-project-learning-overview.html
|
| http://kirstiyvonne.blogspot.com/2010/02/stereortype-slaves.html
http://sewardfelisha.blogspot.com/2010/02/video-project-learning-overview.html
|
| http://kirstiyvonne.blogspot.com/2010/02/stereortype-slaves.html
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
"Story in 5 Photos"
by (Creative Commons License: Attribution)
by (Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-Commercial, Share-Alike)
by (Creative Commons License: Attribution, Share-Alike)
by (Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-Commercial)
by (Creative Commons License: Attribution, Non-Commercial)Here is a story about flying in an airplane in 5 photos.
1) A group of people board the airplane (in this case an Austrian airline).
2)Say hello to the pilots. Hey they're happy to see us! I hope they get us to our destination safely.
3)Of course, we have to wait in line before take off.
4)Now, we are landing
5)Hey, buddy, will you grab my bag?
I hope you enjoyed this riveting tale.
Feb.3: Reflection on Digiteens: Digital Citizenship by Digital Teenagers
In this video, teens collaborated to address things such as saftey on the internet, cyberbullying, and health/wellness issues related to digtial media. Each group designed a short film to address each issue. My two favorites were "Driving While Texting," and "Stealing Pictures."
In "Driving While Texting," I learned DWI kills more than DUI, 37% of all wrecks are from a result of DWI, including 22,000 teens. The video was very emotional, informative, and creative.
"Stealing Pictures" was also a very creative look at issues such as identity theft and common mistakes with copyright online.
At the end, the students said having the internet in the classroom is a great way to learn how to use it properly, productively, and it also allowed them to expand their cultural horizons, and communication skills. The students liked that the Digiteen project allowed them to work with other students and to learn on their own. And, it was fun!
Again, project-based learning is very beneficial to the students, especially when you (as an educator) allow them to research topics which affect their demographic (such as DUI, DWI, internet safety/security, teen pregnancy, etc...).
Because I will be working with pre-teens and teens, I took this video to heart. I would like to allow my students to create using technology to learn about history, current events, other cultures,etc... This will further engage the students and also, as the teacher in the intro of this video said, effect behavior in the classroom. If the students aren't bored out of their minds, they will learn, participate, and have fun!
In "Driving While Texting," I learned DWI kills more than DUI, 37% of all wrecks are from a result of DWI, including 22,000 teens. The video was very emotional, informative, and creative.
"Stealing Pictures" was also a very creative look at issues such as identity theft and common mistakes with copyright online.
At the end, the students said having the internet in the classroom is a great way to learn how to use it properly, productively, and it also allowed them to expand their cultural horizons, and communication skills. The students liked that the Digiteen project allowed them to work with other students and to learn on their own. And, it was fun!
Again, project-based learning is very beneficial to the students, especially when you (as an educator) allow them to research topics which affect their demographic (such as DUI, DWI, internet safety/security, teen pregnancy, etc...).
Because I will be working with pre-teens and teens, I took this video to heart. I would like to allow my students to create using technology to learn about history, current events, other cultures,etc... This will further engage the students and also, as the teacher in the intro of this video said, effect behavior in the classroom. If the students aren't bored out of their minds, they will learn, participate, and have fun!
Feb.3: Project Learning Reflection
Project learning has always been something I have been excited about. I believe it is an excellent way for students to get hands-on knowledge about a variety of things. Plus, it's fun! Students are able to solve real-life problems, in real time, with real resources, with real outcomes/solutions.
Seymour Pepert, a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, says putting students at the center of learning is the key to changing the current education system. I agree with this existentialist point of view, but I also think there is a set of basic knowledge in all the basic subjects (history, math, science, English) that need to be emphasized as well. They need some amount of book study in order to practice in using books as a research tool, and also to give them knowledge that can be helpful once they begin their project, or even outside the classroom when their knowledge truly gets tested.
Speaking of testing, how does an educator assess knowledge learned if the class is only taught using projects? It becomes more difficult. There needs to be projects AND lecture AND book study AND field trips.
It is great to have students collaborate to find solutions to issues about which they are concerned. This teaches teamwork, leadership, resourcefulness, how to be a consumer of information, and the actual topic they are researching...all are valuable lessons to learn for life.
This approach to learning is something I plan to incorporate into my history and French classes. History is written by the victors, so who knows if what we read in textbooks is entirely accurate. It's not! In order to gain a better understanding of historical events, a student needs to have an understanding also of the times in which the event happened and research an event themselves. This can happen by reading newspapers or journals/diaries written at that time. In my class, project learning will incorporate 60% of my plans. Along with projects, there will be readings, group discussions, and lecture. But, in history, the project, the research, is key.
In French, I would love to have the students research francophone nations (I did that in high school and I really enjoyed it). Projects can help language learners a lot. Projects may include: writing assignments, oral presentations on research,etc...
Seymour Pepert, a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, says putting students at the center of learning is the key to changing the current education system. I agree with this existentialist point of view, but I also think there is a set of basic knowledge in all the basic subjects (history, math, science, English) that need to be emphasized as well. They need some amount of book study in order to practice in using books as a research tool, and also to give them knowledge that can be helpful once they begin their project, or even outside the classroom when their knowledge truly gets tested.
Speaking of testing, how does an educator assess knowledge learned if the class is only taught using projects? It becomes more difficult. There needs to be projects AND lecture AND book study AND field trips.
It is great to have students collaborate to find solutions to issues about which they are concerned. This teaches teamwork, leadership, resourcefulness, how to be a consumer of information, and the actual topic they are researching...all are valuable lessons to learn for life.
This approach to learning is something I plan to incorporate into my history and French classes. History is written by the victors, so who knows if what we read in textbooks is entirely accurate. It's not! In order to gain a better understanding of historical events, a student needs to have an understanding also of the times in which the event happened and research an event themselves. This can happen by reading newspapers or journals/diaries written at that time. In my class, project learning will incorporate 60% of my plans. Along with projects, there will be readings, group discussions, and lecture. But, in history, the project, the research, is key.
In French, I would love to have the students research francophone nations (I did that in high school and I really enjoyed it). Projects can help language learners a lot. Projects may include: writing assignments, oral presentations on research,etc...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
