So, I just stumbled across this and from the limited about of info I've found, it reads as if this new software is going to merge together email, social networking, wiki and IM in one, real time site. Google Wave may make some of what we're learning in this class "old tech" and might usher in a new Web or make Web 2.0 easier and more accessible. This is a great article/interview re: Google Wave.
Oh, how quick technology evolves...
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Watch What you Post Week 5 Choice Blog
I am currently teaching a section of English Composition at Plymouth State. This course is required of all students and is typically taken in the first semester of their first year. We have talked about what is writing and have collectively decided that even their status updates to Facebook, Twitter and texting are examples of their writing. When I stumble/find information regarding these sites and their use that might challenge the students preconceived notions, I bring in copies and we discuss briefly.
"How Facebook Ruins Friendships," and "Facebook Exodus" are two articles that I have brought to the class (both from NYTimes). At this time, I mentioned that in my previous life when I was an Assistant Program Director for an Early Intervention Program in New Hampshire and I had to hire and fire employees I Googles all potential interviewees. The students thought that this was nuts and some weren't sure it was even legal. I then explained that what is placed online is there, potentially, forever for anyone to view. After a brief discussion, I got the feeling that most of my twenty students thought I was nuts.
Not the next day on my Google Reader I found the article titled, "Obama School Speech Addresses Facebook for 'Glass House' Generation." This article so beautifully backed up everything I said and we talked about and was timely. Plus, it had the added bonus of coming from the current President. This article really cemented in the students minds that while social is quite cool and for all its worth, students really do need to pay attention to what they post. This article listed the results from a study done by CareerBuilder that interviewed companies on thier use of researching prospective employees and whether or not what they found inhibited their offering an interview with that person.
This study is really quite revealing and a way to keep students grounded in what they are posting on the web.
"How Facebook Ruins Friendships," and "Facebook Exodus" are two articles that I have brought to the class (both from NYTimes). At this time, I mentioned that in my previous life when I was an Assistant Program Director for an Early Intervention Program in New Hampshire and I had to hire and fire employees I Googles all potential interviewees. The students thought that this was nuts and some weren't sure it was even legal. I then explained that what is placed online is there, potentially, forever for anyone to view. After a brief discussion, I got the feeling that most of my twenty students thought I was nuts.
Not the next day on my Google Reader I found the article titled, "Obama School Speech Addresses Facebook for 'Glass House' Generation." This article so beautifully backed up everything I said and we talked about and was timely. Plus, it had the added bonus of coming from the current President. This article really cemented in the students minds that while social is quite cool and for all its worth, students really do need to pay attention to what they post. This article listed the results from a study done by CareerBuilder that interviewed companies on thier use of researching prospective employees and whether or not what they found inhibited their offering an interview with that person.
This study is really quite revealing and a way to keep students grounded in what they are posting on the web.
Using Tech to Create Knowledge--Constructivism and Connectivism
The question from this weeks outline, "How can we use these tools, connect with others to "create" knowledge?" completely sums up my ambivalence regarding the use of technology and at what level of intensity. Websites like Moodle, Glogster, Wordle, Diigo, PBWiki, Lulu and Classchatter are just a few possible tech tools to utilize.
To begin to answer my own hesitations and questions I have regarding technology in the classroom I am going to start small, using a few things I have already picked up from this class. I would never have found out about these on my own without working together to "uncover, discover, communicate and find information."
I am currently enrolled in a graduate course titled "Teaching Secondary Literature." One of our larger projects is to create a unit using Young Adult Literature. The unit needs to be 15 lessons long in total over any length of time. Having checked out other student blogs and exploring some of their links I'm excited by what I've discovered and the ease of which I might be able to incorporate some of these tools into my classroom.
While I don't know really what I will be doing for my unit yet (detail-wise) I could easily see how for the text "The Great Gatsby" I might have students work in groups of two and adopt a character. For a culminating project, they would need to utilize Glogster to create a poster on their character to present to the class. This activity would also provide a focus for the students as they read a text that is typically seen as 'not interesting, relate able, and boring.'
This type of activity utilizes both constructivism ideals (students constructing their own knowledge) and connectivism (students using technology to construct their own knowledge). In this sense (and I might say limited) then I could possible see how bringing technology into the classroom effectively and, more importantly, powerfully.
To begin to answer my own hesitations and questions I have regarding technology in the classroom I am going to start small, using a few things I have already picked up from this class. I would never have found out about these on my own without working together to "uncover, discover, communicate and find information."
I am currently enrolled in a graduate course titled "Teaching Secondary Literature." One of our larger projects is to create a unit using Young Adult Literature. The unit needs to be 15 lessons long in total over any length of time. Having checked out other student blogs and exploring some of their links I'm excited by what I've discovered and the ease of which I might be able to incorporate some of these tools into my classroom.
While I don't know really what I will be doing for my unit yet (detail-wise) I could easily see how for the text "The Great Gatsby" I might have students work in groups of two and adopt a character. For a culminating project, they would need to utilize Glogster to create a poster on their character to present to the class. This activity would also provide a focus for the students as they read a text that is typically seen as 'not interesting, relate able, and boring.'
This type of activity utilizes both constructivism ideals (students constructing their own knowledge) and connectivism (students using technology to construct their own knowledge). In this sense (and I might say limited) then I could possible see how bringing technology into the classroom effectively and, more importantly, powerfully.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
T and L Week 4: Media Sharing
Media sharing... uh... It's kind of funny to have a big ol' technical term for something that almost everyone accesses daily--video game systems, cell-phones, computers, PDA's and websites such as YouTube, Facebook, ning, and others.
Does media sharing have a place in the classroom? I don't know. I'm hoping this class will help me to begin to answer this question. Or at least point me in some direction. I think that the use of media sharing may also depend on the structure and personality of the class on a whole. I'm stuck on my opinion on this. Reading other's thoughts and blogs have only raised more questions. I know this is a short post but I am conflicted...
P.S. I had drafted this last week and when I checked my blog today, I realized that it was saved as a draft not as a final post, so here it is.... My apologies.
Does media sharing have a place in the classroom? I don't know. I'm hoping this class will help me to begin to answer this question. Or at least point me in some direction. I think that the use of media sharing may also depend on the structure and personality of the class on a whole. I'm stuck on my opinion on this. Reading other's thoughts and blogs have only raised more questions. I know this is a short post but I am conflicted...
P.S. I had drafted this last week and when I checked my blog today, I realized that it was saved as a draft not as a final post, so here it is.... My apologies.
T and L Week 4: Social Bookmarking
My thoughts on social bookmarking are duo-fold.
- Personally, I really like the idea of social bookmarking. I had never used this tech before. Yes, I had heard of it, but never used it. I can completely see the use of using it for my own personal uses. I also really like the fact that I don' t have to always the same computer to pull up a bookmarks. Or keeping the websites listed in a journal that I tote around with me everyday, everywhere. Also, sharing and connecting with groups is a cool feature. No more randomly Goggling for websites. Instead I can find some less popular resources that might think outside of the box...
- I'm not sure I would use this in a class except maybe to have students chronicle their web search process that is involved in an I-Search paper. That might work... In an upper-level English course. Otherwise, perhaps my information and/or thinking is 'stuck in the box' but I'd like to see/read/hear some innovative ideas for utilizing this in a classroom setting.
T and L Week 3: Media Literacy...
In this video, Portal to Media Literacy, I really connected with Michael Wesh's point that although students may know how to navigate Web 2.0 tools like Facebook, Wikipedia, and YouTube they need to taught how to use these tools critically. The need to be taught how to use the critical thought, analysis and introspection to apply to these tools.
I easily equate it to a child learning how to write. A two-year-old 'writes' by marking on a paper. If we don't foster this interest, point them towards letter, invented spelling, and then help them as the gain the skills with sentence construction, idea development, etc., etc., then yes, the may know how to write but they will be able to write in such a way that is socially acceptable and required.
"To learn is to acquire information," he states. Teachers need to be able to gently guide and direct their students towards acquiring information. This will then have the students internalize that information so they will truly learn and remember this info in the future.
I easily equate it to a child learning how to write. A two-year-old 'writes' by marking on a paper. If we don't foster this interest, point them towards letter, invented spelling, and then help them as the gain the skills with sentence construction, idea development, etc., etc., then yes, the may know how to write but they will be able to write in such a way that is socially acceptable and required.
"To learn is to acquire information," he states. Teachers need to be able to gently guide and direct their students towards acquiring information. This will then have the students internalize that information so they will truly learn and remember this info in the future.
Monday, September 14, 2009
T & L week 3--Google Reader
Prior to this course I had never been exposed to Google Reader . I had heard of RSS but never really played with it. As soon as week three was posted on our wiki, I immediatly checked it out and set up an account. I enjoyed being able to "forget" about my rather long list of bookmarks in multiple web browsers. Google reader changes the direction of information. Instead of going out to my different sources (HuffingtonPost, MSNBC, friend's blogs, NYTimes, and other web pages) updates now come to me.
I kind of like this idea on one level. It saves time, is more efficient and seems completely logical. The appearance is nothing fancy, but it doesn't really need to be. It's just a portal for reading new updates to websites/pages I frequent. It gets the job done and it gets it done well.
On another level, technological advances such as Google Reader have surely contributed to the decline in newspaper readership. This is sad. There is something about turning the newsprint to read the news. Google Reader isn't the only culprit. A 24-hour news cycle and peoples insatiable demand to be constantly updated as preceded these technological inventions.
I am conflicted. Yes, I want to use the most up-to-date and helpful tech tools in the classroom; however, does this mean that such tried and true methods such as newspapers have to become extinct? This is a question that I, along with others I'm sure, are struggling with to answer. And I probably will be struggling with for a while to come.
I kind of like this idea on one level. It saves time, is more efficient and seems completely logical. The appearance is nothing fancy, but it doesn't really need to be. It's just a portal for reading new updates to websites/pages I frequent. It gets the job done and it gets it done well.
On another level, technological advances such as Google Reader have surely contributed to the decline in newspaper readership. This is sad. There is something about turning the newsprint to read the news. Google Reader isn't the only culprit. A 24-hour news cycle and peoples insatiable demand to be constantly updated as preceded these technological inventions.
I am conflicted. Yes, I want to use the most up-to-date and helpful tech tools in the classroom; however, does this mean that such tried and true methods such as newspapers have to become extinct? This is a question that I, along with others I'm sure, are struggling with to answer. And I probably will be struggling with for a while to come.
Friday, September 11, 2009
T and L--Week 2, part 2
Thoughts on this course...
I am 'tech savvy' in Web 1.0 and at my places of employment I am typically the defacto IT person. I can solve a majority of computer glitches, I'm really good at all Office products and am able to manipulate them to do my bidding ;-) ... I've used my skills to write and win two grants from the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund at my last "grown-up" job and I'm currently using these same skills in PR development of materials for the Plymouth Writing Project.
However, will all of this under my belt, I find that I am now lacking in my skills (although I know that my skills are far above what some of my peers are including the husband). I am excited to learn more about this Web 2.0 movement. It seems as if Web 2.0 is the way to go, especially in education. Students are already using these tools are unaware that there was a Web 1.0. Wikis, podcasting, blogging, and more Web 2.0 tools are just a part of the everyday web/internet experience for students today and it is imperative that their teachers use and incorporate them in an effective yet limited manner.
Why limited? This is where I am still trying to figure out my own ideas regarding tech in the classroom. When Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv came out, I readily devoured it. I do have some dissonance with the amount of technology and inside entertainment that children today are accustomed to--wii, video's/games on iPods, and children spending their time in structured activities (participating in team sports, music classes and more) and then the rest of their time watching television. I think educators have a responsibility (that some parents tend not to participate in) to artfully balance the use of technology with time outdoors.
I am hopeful that this course will expose me to the latest tools and tricks available and will also address how to balance their use in the classroom.
Chapter 1
In the text on page 22, the author states that "as educators, we can't sit on the sidelines watching it happen. We have to recognize that students' use of technology is stronger and work from our own strength, which is pedagogy." This quote really speaks to me. While an educators knowledge may be lesser than that of their more adept students, that shouldn't matter. It is the teachers goal to introduce and utilize these tools to enhance what we teachers have spent time and money on--pedagogy . Teachers can bring our skills on how we teach, merge it with the tech tools and then throw in some of the balance that I am interested in learning. That is a powerful classroom that can engage and educate the students.
An issue I have is that while all of these tools are out there, free and easy to use, you have to have the backing of administration to do so. A quick survey of some of my local schools websites was dissapointing. Bartlett Elementary, where I've done most of my observations and teaching is basically a space holder for a website. My local school, Madison Elementary, just updated their website but in reviewing it, it is obvious that they are clearly stuck in Web 1.0 terminology. So, I would also like to read or learn about how to introduce these tools into a school setting that is not open to these tools and methodologies.
I am 'tech savvy' in Web 1.0 and at my places of employment I am typically the defacto IT person. I can solve a majority of computer glitches, I'm really good at all Office products and am able to manipulate them to do my bidding ;-) ... I've used my skills to write and win two grants from the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund at my last "grown-up" job and I'm currently using these same skills in PR development of materials for the Plymouth Writing Project.
However, will all of this under my belt, I find that I am now lacking in my skills (although I know that my skills are far above what some of my peers are including the husband). I am excited to learn more about this Web 2.0 movement. It seems as if Web 2.0 is the way to go, especially in education. Students are already using these tools are unaware that there was a Web 1.0. Wikis, podcasting, blogging, and more Web 2.0 tools are just a part of the everyday web/internet experience for students today and it is imperative that their teachers use and incorporate them in an effective yet limited manner.
Why limited? This is where I am still trying to figure out my own ideas regarding tech in the classroom. When Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv came out, I readily devoured it. I do have some dissonance with the amount of technology and inside entertainment that children today are accustomed to--wii, video's/games on iPods, and children spending their time in structured activities (participating in team sports, music classes and more) and then the rest of their time watching television. I think educators have a responsibility (that some parents tend not to participate in) to artfully balance the use of technology with time outdoors.
I am hopeful that this course will expose me to the latest tools and tricks available and will also address how to balance their use in the classroom.
Chapter 1
In the text on page 22, the author states that "as educators, we can't sit on the sidelines watching it happen. We have to recognize that students' use of technology is stronger and work from our own strength, which is pedagogy." This quote really speaks to me. While an educators knowledge may be lesser than that of their more adept students, that shouldn't matter. It is the teachers goal to introduce and utilize these tools to enhance what we teachers have spent time and money on--pedagogy . Teachers can bring our skills on how we teach, merge it with the tech tools and then throw in some of the balance that I am interested in learning. That is a powerful classroom that can engage and educate the students.
An issue I have is that while all of these tools are out there, free and easy to use, you have to have the backing of administration to do so. A quick survey of some of my local schools websites was dissapointing. Bartlett Elementary, where I've done most of my observations and teaching is basically a space holder for a website. My local school, Madison Elementary, just updated their website but in reviewing it, it is obvious that they are clearly stuck in Web 1.0 terminology. So, I would also like to read or learn about how to introduce these tools into a school setting that is not open to these tools and methodologies.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Week 2 part 1--T and L post...
I am enrolled in a course for my MEd titled, Teaching and Learning in a Networked classroom... One requirement is to create/post to a blog. I figure that instead of creating a brand new blog, I would just use this one and then my use of this blog would translate to me actually updated and keeping this blog up to date... High hopes... maybe... We'll see...
This afternoon I've been sucked in and all consumed by the site Diigo and the fact that now all the websites I have bookmarked on three different internet browers and written down on all types of paper scattered all over the house can now be in one location. I may also be newly addicted to Google Reader as well...
I stumbled upon this video, which I thought was very cool and thought I'd share... I'll post more re:T&L requirments soon... Still working on readings...
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