How Far We've Come- Literacy and Technology: Semester Reflections

I cannot believe that the semester has come to a close.  As I look back to January to where I am now, I feel I have grown tremendously as an educator.  This was my first online based class so I was definitely a little apprehensive about how it would all work.  How would I be able to meet up with my group?  Would I be able to successfully format and submit assignments?  Would I be able to implement the resources properly?  As with everything new in life you need experience and time to get the hang of things.  I feel that Team TechSavy  came together and worked in a very successful and collaborative way.  We were in frequent contact with each other through gmail, googledocs and with our biweekly WizIq meetings.  We were able to successfully divide up the assignments.  By working as a team, we were able to bounce ideas of each other, use our particular areas of expertise, and practice the important art of compromise.
 Some of my favorite groups projects were the teacher toolkit we created and the 21st Century Classroom  Parent Newsletter.  In these assignments, we  divided up the work into our content areas and found different resources.  It was nice to see how all of our work was able to come together  into a finalized product on googledocs, letterpop, and pbworks.  In the future I will continue to use all of these sites.

My two favorite independent assignments were the digital story telling assignment and the engrade review assignment.  I had never made a digital story before and had no idea how to do so.   I used my iMovie software and was able to narrate, pick out pictures and music to create my own story.  Creating a digital story is a great way for teachers to engage students. The possibilities are endless with digital stories. I enjoyed the engrade assignment alot because I was so impressed with how easy it was to use and how much the site had to offer.  From grading, to creating flashcards and quizzes, to communicating with teachers and parents, it was very impressive.

I found the whole class meeting on WebEx very insightful.  We were able to come together as a whole class and reflect and present our findings. I particularly enjoyed the  class session where we had a guest speaker, Mary Anne,  who is a digital media specialist and educator that lives in Washington.  Listening to her speak about all of the fantastic technology resources that teachers have available to them was very exciting.  She spoke about  such things as twitter, blogging, webquests, ipads, moodle and facebook.  All of these things can be used to enhance learning and connect teachers to other teachers around the world.

Looking back there is no question that I have learned alot that I will carry with me in my career as a educator.  This course has allowed me to see all of the wonderful tools that are available to enhance, create, aid, and simply teaching.  I am a firm believer that education needs to evolve with the times.  We are in living in the 21st century.  Therefore, we need to be teaching 21st century skills.  We need to be 21st century teachers.  We need to engage students, make learning interactive, relevant, personalized, and fun. Technology allows teachers to do all  of these things.  I am looking forward to using all of these tools in the classroom.

Thank you Dr. Smirnova! It truly was a great learning adventure!

Let's Go on a Learning Spree! WOW Projects- reflections on mine and my peers

I have always been a big fan of webquests, so when the opportunities came for me to explore them in greater detail I jumped at it.   A webquest is an inquiry-based student centered learning activity in which all, or most of the information that the students explore and evaluate come from resources on the internet.  Webquest were invented in 1995 by Bernie Dodge a professor of Education at San Diego State University.  A webquest uses higher level thinking and the student must be able to apply and synthesize information.  They are presented with a task that they must research and explore to reseach their own conclusions and create their own product.   All webquests must contain the following components:  Introduction, Task, Process, Evaluation, Conclusion, Credits, Teacher's Page




I designed by webquest in educational professional development format.  I wanted my peers to explore what webquests are, what a good webquest should look like, and why they are so important to use in the classroom.  Here are my welcome, introduction, and task pages:

Welcome Teachers!  

Today we are going on an exciting learning adventure where you will explore the ins and out of webquests.

By the end of this adventure you will be able to answer the following questions:

1) What is a webquest?

2) What features should every webquest contain?

3) What makes a good webquest?

4) What are the benefits of using webquests in your classroom?


Introduction:

Congratulations you have been selected for your outstanding commitment to 21st century teaching to complete a special task. The Teaching Technology Education Company (TTEC) needs your help to spread the word about webquests.  They need a group of innovative, technologically enthusiastic educators to research webquests and create a presentation that details how important of a learning tool they are.

Task: You will work in collaborative groups of 4 to explore and critically analyze 5 different webquests.  You will decide what webquests you thought were the best and which you thought were the weakest, based on your assigned role.  You will then create a powerpoint presentation that explains what a good webquest should look like and why teachers should use them in their classrooms on a regular basis.


I designed my webquest in this format because I wanted teachers who have no experience or very little experience with webquests to work together and explore what a webquest should look like and what a webquest should not look like(discriminate learning).


On the process page they were to each pick a role of either the 


A) The Efficiency expert- This group member will focus in how efficient the webquest is with time.  How much time will the task take to complete?  Is the information organized and presented in way that will allow student to access it easily and quickly?  Does the webquest contain direct, explicitly stated directions?  

B)  The Higher level thinking expert- This group member will look at each webquest and see if there is information that the student has to analyze and synthesize from multiple perspectives.  Does the learner have to formulate a hypothesize?  , Does the webquest allow for some creative expression on the part of the learner? 

C) The Collaboration Expert-  Does the webquest promote teamwork, compromise, collaboration and discussion?  Or could the webquest be completed as a solo activity?  

D) The Technology Expert- This group member will focus on the quality and quantity of the technology in the webquest.  Does it have an attractive and engaging appearance?  Does it contain videos, vokis, interactive games, and many links?  

This four roles capture all the componants of what a webquest should contain.  I used two different rubrics that I created on rubricstar to evaluate the final powerpoints.  

To check out the entire webquest and complete it please go to: misseganswowwebquests.pbworks.com

I was very impressed by all of my classmates WOW projects.  Each student presented and shared their projects in a very creative way.  Many used slideshare, others used a basic powerpoint and others used webquests.  I really enjoyed how they incorporated different technologies into their presentations such as videos, interactive games, and music.  The digital story telling presentation was very insightful because it offered me new ideas on how to use this.  I also liked the mindmapping and voki presentations.  It was very nice to see my peers becoming mini experts on their topics and a perfect way to end the semester.  I know I will be using all of these presentations as a references when I want to use that particular technology in the future.  We truly created a learning community.

It's all about COMMUNICATION! Bridging the Teacher Parent Gap.

Communication between teachers and parents is a crucial element in developing a successful learning community.  A parent must be aware of what their child is doing in school and there should be a frequent, easy accessible means of communication.  Back in the day there may have been a note sent home from the teacher every few months and a couple of parent teacher conferences a year. Too much time was allowed to pass, and no open window of communication existed.  Flash forward to modern times, and technology has opened up a new frontier in parent, teacher and student communication.  Teachers use websites, moodle, twitter, blogs, and e-mail to communicate with students and parents on a frequent basis.  Technology has allowed parents to stay up to date on all upcoming projects and events, in a way that was never possible before.

When teachers and parents communicate more often the student wins. The more a teacher learns about a what a student is dealing with in their home life, the better equipped they will be to reach that student.  A teacher needs to frequently inform a parent of the progress of a struggling student so that swift action can be taken in gains are not being made.  The more a parent is aware of what is expected of their child, especially in the younger grades, the more likely the child will be to complete assignments and stay on task.


I believe that best way a teacher can communicate with parents is by creating a personal website that is updated on a daily basis.  The website should list all important contact information, your teaching philosophy, upcoming projects, quizzes, tests and events. A teacher may also want to create a blog to share in greater detail the projects that the students are working on.  I also like the idea of sending out a weekly newsletter via e-mail to parents that details all that has occurred and what is upcoming.  LetterPop is a great site to use to make such a newsletter.  Engrade, which I described in my last post,  is also a great tool for teachers to use to  communication and share grades with both parents and students.


The members of  Team TechSavy and I created a 21st Century Classroom Parent newsletter using LetterPop.  Each of us took a different subject: math, science, social studies, English and described how we would be communicating throughout the year and what technologies that we would be using. We collaborated to create a curriculum that incorporated technology and that offered a strong means for communication. It was a great experience working with my peers to complete this project. We talked about how important it is for a teacher to have a frequently updated website and a blog.  We all agreed on how important communicating with parents is.   Here is the link to our  newsletter: Team TechSavy's 21st Century Classroom Communication Parent Newsletter.  Check it out and make your own!


Are you doing your part to bridge the teacher parent gap? Or are there uninformed parents lurking around?

Engrade: A Teacher's Best Friend!

After exploring and working with Engrade, I am very impressed with this online teacher toolset. The Engrade system provides teachers with every tool they need to create a well organized, 24/7 learning environment.  Dog may be man's best friend, but when it comes to teachers, Engrade is a best friend that they should not want to live without.  Buckle up as we explore all of the fabulous tools and features Engrade has to offer!

 Engrade has the following features:

• a gradebook that you can custom design for your particular class.  You can create different assignment categories  such as essays, homework, tests, quizzes etc and decide what the weight of each of these items will be worth and if you would like to drop the lowest grade.  When I was working with it, it was very easy to use.  You just have to plug in the numbers and Engrade calculations the total average for each student.  
• A homework calendar where teachers can post upcoming assignments, projects, tests.  Students have 24/7 access to this calendar, so there is no excuse for them to say they did not know or that  they forgot.
• Messaging- Teacher, students and parents can message each other privately and safely at anytime of the day. SPAM FREE!
• Quizzes- Teacher can make a quiz on engrade.  You can create your own quiz or browse quizzes other educators have made.
• Flashcards- Teachers and students can create their own flashcards of key terms.  I really like how you can browse through previously created flashcards.  This is a great tool for students to use before a test.  The teacher can really pinpoint what the students needs to know for a test.
• Wikis- Teachers and students can collaborate with others classes around the world.  Teachers can share resources and ideas about the topics they are studying.
• Attendance- Engrade allows teachers to keep track of daily attendance records on a simple spread sheet.
• Discussions- Students can engage classmates and the teachers in online discussions
• Administer Reports-  Administers can quickly and easily see students progress, which makes it easy to identify at risk students.
• 24/7 access- Studens, teachers and parents can log on at any time.  Teachers can post answers and corrective feedback.  Students can check assignments and grades.  Parents can see their child's progress and communicate easily with the teacher.
• IT'S FREE! I know it hard to believe but the Engrade system is free! You just have to set up an account and you are good to go!

After exploring all of these features, on scale of 1 to 10 I would give engrade an 11!  It promotes communication and provides quick feedback among parents, teachers and students.   My favorite feature is the quick and easy gradebook.  It allows teachers to enter grades and organize assignments in a timely fashion that does not detract from valuable planning time.  I will definitely use Engrade in the future. Below is a snapshot of the class I created.  Please explore Engrade for yourself!  You will not regret it!

It's Mind-Mapping Time!

Below is the mind-map I created using gliffy.  I choose to create my mind-map on the writing strategy called "POWERS."  POWERS represents 6 steps to writing: P- Prewriting, O-Organize, W-Write, E-Edit, R-Revise, and S-Share.  I believe this is a useful strategy for students to learn about and use, because it breaks down the writing process into easy, doable steps.  Students may get overwhelmed when they have to complete a writing assignment.  This strategy simplifies the writing process and provides a clear organization for what students need to do to write a good essay.


Creating a mind-mind for the strategy was quite fun.  When looking this map, I believe that a student can get a very good grasp as to what they have to do when writing.  They map lays out the frame work of what they should be doing and places it in a visually pleasing format.


When creating this mind-map, I learned that the way that you choice to present information to students can really make a world of difference.  Instead of writing the steps to the POWER strategy on the board, the mind-map allows students to see the steps in a different way. I would have my students create their own mind-map of this strategy and have them add their own personalized characteristics to each of the steps.


The mind-map is a tool makes learning a more personalized, interactive experience.
Gliffy was a very user friendly site to use. It had a library full of pictures and you also can upload your own.  I would definitely recommend using Gliffy.


So what are you waiting for? Go get your mind-mapping on! : )

Oh the possibilities! Learning beyond the textbook.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

I created the above video using animoto.com.  The site was extremely user friendly.  You can upload your own videos, pictures, and music or you  may also choose from their library.  Making these videos is very easy to do, yet they are highly engaging and effective.
 I made my video on rural, urban, and suburban areas (grade level 2-3).  Students would be able to watch this video and categorize the pictures as rural, urban, or suburban.  These videos engage students visually, and acoustically.  For a culminating project idea, students could create their own video.
My favorite part about creating videos is that it can be used for any subject, with any grade level and it really makes students put their own personalized touch on the topic.  Digital stories go far beyond the pages of a textbook.
Teachers in the 21st century should take full advantage of the free, easy to use resources that their digitalized students respond and relate to best.  Know the audience you are teaching to and learning outcomes will increase.

Food for Thought: What do 21st Century Students Need?

I came across this video and found it extremely insightful, especially for the content of this class.  If we can incoporate the technology that students know, love, and live by into the classroom, education will reach an entire new level.  Take a few moments to watch the video and ask yourself are you teaching in the 21st century or are you stuck in the past?   It is time we bridge the technology gap in the classroom.

Reaching New Creative Heights: Are you a "Pro-Creative" Teacher?

Tonight we had a whole class meeting in which we focused on the topic of creativity in the classroom.  I really enjoyed the "warm-up" question that Dr. Smirnova asked the class, "What is creativity to you?"  Take a minute to reflect on it right now.  It is a very powerful question.  The way we define creativity says a lot about who we are and most certainly plays a very large role in the type of educator you are.  To me, creativity means thinking outside of the box.  When you are creative you do old tasks in new innovative ways.  You think about  subject matter from an original, unique, personalized perspective, and create a new way of thinking or doing something.  When you are creative, you cannot be rigid and single minded.  You cannot think that there  is only one right way to do or learn something.  When you are creative you explore, inquire, and probe until a complete fresh and original outcomes occurs. Thinking from a teacher's perspective, I want my students to be creative.  I want my students to explore and inquire to reach their own conclusions.  I want my students to make the material their very own.  

Next, we watched a video by Sir Ken Robinson called , "Do Schools Kill Creativity?"  This video was very fascinating to watch.  One quote that really stuck out to me was, "Creativity now is as important in education as literacy is and we should treat it with the same status."  In the American Education system we do not place a high appraisal on creativity.  We teach in a linear, standard driven, hierarchical fashion.  I believe, that we need to uphold these standards, but we also need to reappraise and place more value on creativity-"creating original ideas that have VALUE."

Another part of the video that was particularly interesting, was the story about a young girl who was struggling in school. This girl created disturbances in class and could not focus.  She was taken to see a specialist to find out what was "wrong" with her.  It was discovered that the girl had a incredible talent for dance and went on to become a very successful dancer.  If her dancing skills had not been discovered, she would have been classified as LD and would not have been able to develop and share her talents with the world.  Robinson stated, "This girl is not sick.  She is a dancer."  The definition of intelligence is very fluid and driven be the culture and society that we live in.  Who are we to place a higher value on one type of intelligence/ability over another?

As teachers, we have the huge responsibility to provide as many opportunities as we can to draw out and develop a students natural abilities.  We must realize that learning is process that occurs in different ways in every unique student we teach.  We cannot  be a force that stifles creativity, instead we must developed and draw it out.

 I am reminded of a quote by the late Dan Rather, "The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called 'truth'." Teachers must act as guides for their students, showing them the path, imparting new information, and driving them to explore and inquire.  A great teacher pushes and inspires students to reach new creative heights. Pro-Creative is the way to be!

Please watch the video below and reflect upon it.   It is 20 minutes well spent! : )