Today I had the students turn in their podcast assignments. As expected several did not have theirs. Those that did were good. The only issue was that some students did theirs in Garage Band. The file is not compatible with the school system. I do not have quick time so I couldn't play them.
I was evaluated when I taught the intro to this lesson. My principal told me this was the first time that she could include technology into the evaluation. I guess my classwork is paying off.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Snow Away
My students spent most of the week eagerly awaiting the snow that was to come on Friday. Only a teenager would think a day off one week after a week long holiday and two weeks before a two week holiday is better than getting out for summer a day early. Logic deficiencies are just one battle I wage each day. I on the other hand do not like snow days. They mess up my plans.
One of the topics I researched for the MTT program is distance learning. When my peers ask me about what I am studying, I always bring up this topic. Most of them know very little about this topic. They look at me like I am crazy when I tell them this is the future and will be a way to be a fiscally responsible alternative.
With distance learning, snow days will be a thing of the past. When I ask my peers to imagine a time where we do not have snow days, their eyes get big and they look for an escape. I stand by this idea. Most of our students have computers and internet. Soon only handful of students will lack this technology. It would take a great deal of planning before hand, but teachers can create distance modules for students on snow day. Students would spend the day completing these modules. As technology increases, video conferencing will be used on snow days as well.
Why should we let snow keep our students from learning? Kids may lose this day they think they are entitled to, but schools need to seize the opportunity to show students that the world doesn't stop for weather, even in Texas.
One of the topics I researched for the MTT program is distance learning. When my peers ask me about what I am studying, I always bring up this topic. Most of them know very little about this topic. They look at me like I am crazy when I tell them this is the future and will be a way to be a fiscally responsible alternative.
With distance learning, snow days will be a thing of the past. When I ask my peers to imagine a time where we do not have snow days, their eyes get big and they look for an escape. I stand by this idea. Most of our students have computers and internet. Soon only handful of students will lack this technology. It would take a great deal of planning before hand, but teachers can create distance modules for students on snow day. Students would spend the day completing these modules. As technology increases, video conferencing will be used on snow days as well.
Why should we let snow keep our students from learning? Kids may lose this day they think they are entitled to, but schools need to seize the opportunity to show students that the world doesn't stop for weather, even in Texas.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Planning for the Future
The last few years I have been engrossed in academic study. While I have learned and discovered strategies to use, I really haven't put all of them into practice. I have been in information overload. With graduation approaching, I will finally have the time to digest the information, and put it into practice. I plan on rereading the Richardson book from the multimedia class. Two things I want to work on incorporating are blogs and wikis.
My students write in their journals everyday. I would like them to have publish some of their work. My plan is still in the initial stages. The basic framework is that students will choose one of their journals, polish it, and use it as a blog. All of this would need to be done by the fourth week of the six weeks. The last two weeks of the six weeks students would need to comment on a classmates blog. I have concerns I need to work through. I will probably need to go to the computer lab for the students to complete their assignments, since they show very little initiative. I also need to devise a system so that every student has someone comment on their blog post. I could have students choose a name. It seems very basic and there should be a better way. Also, too many of my students have long held animosity towards each other. The classroom is a big enough battle zone, I don't need it carrying over to the internet.
The other thing I would like to try is a Wiki for vocabulary. Students need to be held accountable to each other for helping make connections to vocabulary words. My interactive reviews did not go as well as I hoped, so I need someway for students to achieve success. There are 30 vocabulary units in our workbook. We cover two lessons at a time for a total of 15 quizzes. Tentatively, my plan is to assign each class two units to create a wiki for. I would create the first one and everyone would contribute to the last two. I need to practice with using Wikis to grow comfortable including them in class.
I want to my class to use more technology and prepare my students for how their college classes will operate. Blogs and Wikis will help. I know I will need to create a brochure or handout to give students who transfer into my class. One concern I have is that when students move in they already feel lost. Getting them caught up to speed may be a difficult job.
My students write in their journals everyday. I would like them to have publish some of their work. My plan is still in the initial stages. The basic framework is that students will choose one of their journals, polish it, and use it as a blog. All of this would need to be done by the fourth week of the six weeks. The last two weeks of the six weeks students would need to comment on a classmates blog. I have concerns I need to work through. I will probably need to go to the computer lab for the students to complete their assignments, since they show very little initiative. I also need to devise a system so that every student has someone comment on their blog post. I could have students choose a name. It seems very basic and there should be a better way. Also, too many of my students have long held animosity towards each other. The classroom is a big enough battle zone, I don't need it carrying over to the internet.
The other thing I would like to try is a Wiki for vocabulary. Students need to be held accountable to each other for helping make connections to vocabulary words. My interactive reviews did not go as well as I hoped, so I need someway for students to achieve success. There are 30 vocabulary units in our workbook. We cover two lessons at a time for a total of 15 quizzes. Tentatively, my plan is to assign each class two units to create a wiki for. I would create the first one and everyone would contribute to the last two. I need to practice with using Wikis to grow comfortable including them in class.
I want to my class to use more technology and prepare my students for how their college classes will operate. Blogs and Wikis will help. I know I will need to create a brochure or handout to give students who transfer into my class. One concern I have is that when students move in they already feel lost. Getting them caught up to speed may be a difficult job.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Cell Phones
As I have mentioned before, cell phones present a huge opportunity in the classroom. Our school policy is that cell phones must be turned off during school hours. This does not prevent students from using their phones. It take diligence to keep students from texting during class. The most common excuse I get is that they are checking the time. Never mind that I have two clocks in my room, and they aren't going anywhere until the bell rings. Cell phones have created a generation of people who can't tell time and don't wear watches.
Even though students aren't supposed to use their cell phones, I have my students use them. I guess I am a bad influence letting my students break the rules. But I think it is important that students learn to use their phones responsibly. I have students place reminders on their phones so they can keep track of tests, quizzes, and due dates.
Cell phones are not the only contraband - ipods and MP3 players are not allowed either. Recently teachers were asked for suggestions on updating the policy. The question teachers need to ask is "Does the motivation for using ipods out weigh the possible distractions ipods might create?" Also, what is acceptable for cell phones? Obviously, we cannot allow students to text at will, but what limits should we place on them? It will be interesting to see what policy the district develops and just how much impact the teachers in the trenches have.
Even though students aren't supposed to use their cell phones, I have my students use them. I guess I am a bad influence letting my students break the rules. But I think it is important that students learn to use their phones responsibly. I have students place reminders on their phones so they can keep track of tests, quizzes, and due dates.
Cell phones are not the only contraband - ipods and MP3 players are not allowed either. Recently teachers were asked for suggestions on updating the policy. The question teachers need to ask is "Does the motivation for using ipods out weigh the possible distractions ipods might create?" Also, what is acceptable for cell phones? Obviously, we cannot allow students to text at will, but what limits should we place on them? It will be interesting to see what policy the district develops and just how much impact the teachers in the trenches have.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Production into Practice
My vacation will be over in a few hours, and I will be heading back to the classroom. Before the Thanksgiving Break, I assigned my class a project incorporating technology. My students are creating a podcast for our study of Animal Farm. Each group will create a broadcast focusing on a different point of view.
I am excited to see what my students can create. I hope they like doing something creative for class. One of the expectations from my district is that students will be able to use the technology available. The district has Audacity for the students to use. The assignments uses the TEKS of point of view and teamwork.
I think this is a good assignment, but I am concerned about my students completing it. It isn't particularly difficult. However, students need to have read the book and meet to record the podcast. Expecting the kids to work on their own time is sometimes expecting too much. I'm worried that the technology aspect of the assignment will give the students an excuse not to do the assignment.
All I can do is to keep trying to incorporate technology. If I continue to incorporate technology, the students will eventually respond. I do have plans for bigger technology projects in the next semester.
I am excited to see what my students can create. I hope they like doing something creative for class. One of the expectations from my district is that students will be able to use the technology available. The district has Audacity for the students to use. The assignments uses the TEKS of point of view and teamwork.
I think this is a good assignment, but I am concerned about my students completing it. It isn't particularly difficult. However, students need to have read the book and meet to record the podcast. Expecting the kids to work on their own time is sometimes expecting too much. I'm worried that the technology aspect of the assignment will give the students an excuse not to do the assignment.
All I can do is to keep trying to incorporate technology. If I continue to incorporate technology, the students will eventually respond. I do have plans for bigger technology projects in the next semester.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Still Miles to Go
Thanksgiving Break is almost over, and I still haven't accomplished everything I needed to get completed. I think I will be in for some long nights over the next few days.
I saw this article on Yahoo! tonight.
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20091127/ap_on_hi_te/us_schools_cell_phones
This article provides illustrations of how cell phones can be used in the classroom. Many of these activities are innovative. Teachers text instructions in a foreign language for the students to follow. Cell phones are used as calculators and voice recorders. The new capabilities of phones means that they can be used for research. Through special websites cell phones can be used to poll students.
Since cell phones are gaining a bigger role in our lives, schools need to teach students to use them responsibly. Incorporating them into school lessons is the start of this process. Because schools ban cell phones, students hide and evade the responsibility of having the technology. This carries over to places where cell phones aren't banned. I frequently see both kids and adults texting during church service. Responsible cell phone use needs to begin in our schools. Students should learn when to use their phones and when to put them aside.
I saw this article on Yahoo! tonight.
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20091127/ap_on_hi_te/us_schools_cell_phones
This article provides illustrations of how cell phones can be used in the classroom. Many of these activities are innovative. Teachers text instructions in a foreign language for the students to follow. Cell phones are used as calculators and voice recorders. The new capabilities of phones means that they can be used for research. Through special websites cell phones can be used to poll students.
Since cell phones are gaining a bigger role in our lives, schools need to teach students to use them responsibly. Incorporating them into school lessons is the start of this process. Because schools ban cell phones, students hide and evade the responsibility of having the technology. This carries over to places where cell phones aren't banned. I frequently see both kids and adults texting during church service. Responsible cell phone use needs to begin in our schools. Students should learn when to use their phones and when to put them aside.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Not Even the End of a Frustrating Day
I am sitting here waiting for a video to load for my Portfolio. The entire day I have had my laptop to my left and my desktop to my right trying to get my Portfolio finished. I had all the components ready to go this morning. Most of the content loaded pretty easily, once I figured out how to use the program. My problem has been loading the videos.
I tried to load from my laptop, then my desktop. I even left the desktop trying to load while I went to church in search of divine intervention. While at church the website "timed out" so no video loaded. After a bad connection to technical support, I went to school (9pm at night) to try to load the videos. Unfortunately, the cracker jack tech staff for AISD had my site blocked. So that was a waste of thirty minutes.
I came home to try loading again. I found the smallest video to load. It started loading. I waited and waited. Finally I got somewhere -- a dead end. I received a message that my video exceeded the 10MB limit. This left me with questions and more frustrations. I was under the impression that the limit was much higher. I could have gotten the same thing from a free google site and had less frustration. I already had a website with much of the content already loaded plus it is user friendly.
So as I end this I still have 30 more minutes waiting for a file to load to MediaFire so I can link it to my portfolio. And I still have to add a little bit more to the portfolio. So there is still time to build more frustration.
I tried to load from my laptop, then my desktop. I even left the desktop trying to load while I went to church in search of divine intervention. While at church the website "timed out" so no video loaded. After a bad connection to technical support, I went to school (9pm at night) to try to load the videos. Unfortunately, the cracker jack tech staff for AISD had my site blocked. So that was a waste of thirty minutes.
I came home to try loading again. I found the smallest video to load. It started loading. I waited and waited. Finally I got somewhere -- a dead end. I received a message that my video exceeded the 10MB limit. This left me with questions and more frustrations. I was under the impression that the limit was much higher. I could have gotten the same thing from a free google site and had less frustration. I already had a website with much of the content already loaded plus it is user friendly.
So as I end this I still have 30 more minutes waiting for a file to load to MediaFire so I can link it to my portfolio. And I still have to add a little bit more to the portfolio. So there is still time to build more frustration.
The Push for Technology
This week I am assigning my first assignment that has my students work on production. My students are going to work in groups to create a podcast for Animal Farm. Each group will focus on different point of view. This assignment links to the radio broadcasts that were a part of World War II. I am starting off the lesson with a newspaper article about the first Jewish service in Germany near the end of WWII. This will provide a background for the students.
The school has Audacity for students to use. I will need to demonstrate how to use the program. Students can record their podcasts before or after school in my room or in the library's "Digital Den."
I have incorporated more technology in my classroom this year, but this is the first production my students will create. I think they will be capable of completing this, but I know I will get excuses from some of them. My challenge is to anticipate their challenges and help them find solutions. I am looking forward to what they can create.
The school has Audacity for students to use. I will need to demonstrate how to use the program. Students can record their podcasts before or after school in my room or in the library's "Digital Den."
I have incorporated more technology in my classroom this year, but this is the first production my students will create. I think they will be capable of completing this, but I know I will get excuses from some of them. My challenge is to anticipate their challenges and help them find solutions. I am looking forward to what they can create.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Getting Advice
My latest journey into the world of technology involves my cell phone. Last night I had problems with my cell phone. I couldn't hear people and they couldn't hear me. I've had it for several years. I don't use it very much, but I am planning to end my land line service and use my cell exclusively. I text a little bit, but not on the scale that others do. I asked a friend who suggested an iphone. She plans to get one when she renews her service.
I don't know if I will use all the features of an ipod or if it is worth the extra cost. I decided to go to the experts -- teenage girls. My students swore by the Blackberry. Apparently it is difficult to secretly text on an iphone. This really wouldn't be a problem for me, but is a massive obstacle for a teenager.
A new phone and all that goes with it can be like integrating technology in the classroom. Initially I may not need bells and whistles that come with a new phone. But once I get them and learn how to use I will be glad I have them. In the classroom, I get new technology, but I am not always sure it will matter. For instance the microphone I got a few years ago. I was weary of it at first, but now I hate it when the batteries are recharging and I can't use it. Teachers should not get caught up in what technology we getting and the difficulty of learning how to use it. Instead, we should just jump in and learn to use it. When we do we can integrate it into our classrooms.
I don't know if I will use all the features of an ipod or if it is worth the extra cost. I decided to go to the experts -- teenage girls. My students swore by the Blackberry. Apparently it is difficult to secretly text on an iphone. This really wouldn't be a problem for me, but is a massive obstacle for a teenager.
A new phone and all that goes with it can be like integrating technology in the classroom. Initially I may not need bells and whistles that come with a new phone. But once I get them and learn how to use I will be glad I have them. In the classroom, I get new technology, but I am not always sure it will matter. For instance the microphone I got a few years ago. I was weary of it at first, but now I hate it when the batteries are recharging and I can't use it. Teachers should not get caught up in what technology we getting and the difficulty of learning how to use it. Instead, we should just jump in and learn to use it. When we do we can integrate it into our classrooms.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Accountability
The biggest hurdle I have in integrating technology is the lack of accountability my students have. Many of my students will not complete a simple survey on SurveyMonkey. I have created reviews for for vocabulary quizzes and tests. It is obvious who is taking advantage of these. It can be disheartening to create something to help students and have them basically reject my effort.
My hope is that as teachers start incorporating more technology, students will develop a sense of accountability. If students know the expectations and are comfortable with them, it may make a difference. I still believe that if I continue to incorporate technology, my students will eventually respond.
My hope is that as teachers start incorporating more technology, students will develop a sense of accountability. If students know the expectations and are comfortable with them, it may make a difference. I still believe that if I continue to incorporate technology, my students will eventually respond.
Friday, November 6, 2009
One More Thing
I hate leaving school late on Friday, but it seems to be a reoccurring theme for Fridays. Today the culprit was the end of the six weeks. By the time I arrived at a stopping point, it was nearly 4:45. I'm still not finished. Students have until noon on Sunday to email me late assignments. I thought technology was going to make my life easier. It seems at time email makes my life more difficult. I left school, got in my truck to go home, then I noticed one more thing I had to take care of. My "service engine" light came on. I can't take care of it Saturday, I have class. The service center is closed on Sunday. I guess it means a late night at the dealership some week night or take a risk and wait for next Saturday. Ironically, I had my truck worked on last weekend. Why couldn't the technology figure out it needed help a week earlier. This did not make my life easier.
It's just another thing I need to take care of. It's a list that is growing. I feel like I am behind in class. I've kept up with the work, but I feel like I am missing something. I am using my movie making skills quite a bit. I made a video for a student of his first game for the Texas A&M football team. I have another video to make for a student who plays for Iowa State. I also made three videos, with another still to do, for a friend and fellow teacher who has been out since the first week of September. The videos take time, but it is worth it to show her how much she means to us.
It's just another thing I need to take care of. It's a list that is growing. I feel like I am behind in class. I've kept up with the work, but I feel like I am missing something. I am using my movie making skills quite a bit. I made a video for a student of his first game for the Texas A&M football team. I have another video to make for a student who plays for Iowa State. I also made three videos, with another still to do, for a friend and fellow teacher who has been out since the first week of September. The videos take time, but it is worth it to show her how much she means to us.
Friday, October 23, 2009
My first Training
I lead the Instructional Focus Meeting this week. That's our name for inservice training. I received positive feedback. Of course doing a technology training meant I would have a problem with the technology. Irony seems to follow English teachers around. The main difficulty I had was using the remote keyboard. It was being obstinate when I tried to switch between programs. I shifted my focus as of the training. The department had been informed that the school was nearing the allotment of paper. I concentrated the last part of the training on how to use less paper in the classroom. I demonstrated Survey Monkey and provided ideas on how to use this in the classroom. I also showed them how to upload a file to the website. Uploading assignment sheets to the web is a great way to save paper. I asked that the teachers fill out surveys (using Survey Monkey) about the training. Website training and using less paper seemed to be of interest.
I did have some concerns since teachers are the worst students. Some teachers were checking their email or rushing ahead. I had loaded everything to the website so the training would be paperless. Just as I was stating that the future would be paperless, a colleague printed out the click sheet I had created. Oh, the irony.
I did have some concerns since teachers are the worst students. Some teachers were checking their email or rushing ahead. I had loaded everything to the website so the training would be paperless. Just as I was stating that the future would be paperless, a colleague printed out the click sheet I had created. Oh, the irony.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Another Day, Another Obstacle
Each day seems to bring a new technology challenge. Today we had a training for the new gradebook. It was an optional come and go training. I went to find out how to print a grade sheet without the students that have been dropped from the class roster. It's a simple request. I had tried to figure it out on my own to no avail. It turns out all I had to do was go to a second screen and print from that screen.
All the teachers are adjusting to the new program. There has not been the grumblings that we went through in previous years when we changed software. We are all in the same boat. Even the trainers are trying to get a handle on everything the program can do. We haven't installed all the components of the program yet. When we do this program has the ability to transform some of our instructional practices.
My time on this program is well spent when I focus on figuring out what the new system can do, rather than worrying about how the program is different from the old or focusing on what it can't do.
All the teachers are adjusting to the new program. There has not been the grumblings that we went through in previous years when we changed software. We are all in the same boat. Even the trainers are trying to get a handle on everything the program can do. We haven't installed all the components of the program yet. When we do this program has the ability to transform some of our instructional practices.
My time on this program is well spent when I focus on figuring out what the new system can do, rather than worrying about how the program is different from the old or focusing on what it can't do.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Sunday Night Reflections
I got up earlier than I normally do on Sunday. However that did not translate into getting more work done. My biggest hurdle today was getting a video to upload to facebook. After trying several times, most of the day was gone and I had nothing to show for it. I realized that since I wasn't using my computer it was going into sleep mode before the video could upload. After I reset the power save settings, the video loaded easily and is now available for viewing.
This week I am leading the first of the training sessions. I have one more thing to complete before Wednesday. The training will be paperless. I have everything loaded to my website for teachers to follow. This is timely since the English department was sent an email this week that the school has almost used its paper allotment for the semester. One thing teachers can do is upload copies of assignments to their websites instead of making a few extra copies for students who lose assignments. With over 250 teachers, saving 2 copies per assignment is a ream of paper. With multiple assignments over the six weeks, paper saving will add up. I hope through this training my peers will see as a resource to help them improve the use of technology in the classroom.
This week I am leading the first of the training sessions. I have one more thing to complete before Wednesday. The training will be paperless. I have everything loaded to my website for teachers to follow. This is timely since the English department was sent an email this week that the school has almost used its paper allotment for the semester. One thing teachers can do is upload copies of assignments to their websites instead of making a few extra copies for students who lose assignments. With over 250 teachers, saving 2 copies per assignment is a ream of paper. With multiple assignments over the six weeks, paper saving will add up. I hope through this training my peers will see as a resource to help them improve the use of technology in the classroom.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Train the Teacher Thoughts
The primary benefit of the Train the Teacher program is that it is asynchronous. Teachers have busy schedules and cannot always find a block of several hours to do training, but we can find thirty minutes at a time to do the training in segments. The training is useful especially since many teachers finished college before online databases became common. All the regions could make use of this format for all sorts of training. I thought that the handouts were useful and helpful. I didn't like that documents had to be saved. That seems to me to be an extra step. If I liked a handout well enough to save it, I could then save it.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
SO FAR BEHIND
So I am really far behind. I hope to have a big block of time to knock out some of my assignments this weekend. It's not like I haven't done anything. I started a mentoring group and have done some preliminary work on my action research. I need to start my background research for the study. I also need to nail down a time to do the inservice training.
I have used the skills from the multimedia class. I made a video of a former student's first football game at Texas A&M. He came back to Allen the next week for Homecoming so I was able to give him the movie. I will probably make a movie of his other games. I am currently working on a movie for a colleague who is in the hospital. The rest of us would like to see her, but she doesn't need us trooping through her room. Also, the flu bug is running through Allen and who knows what germs are lurking on us. So I recorded people giving her their best wishes.
I have used the skills from the multimedia class. I made a video of a former student's first football game at Texas A&M. He came back to Allen the next week for Homecoming so I was able to give him the movie. I will probably make a movie of his other games. I am currently working on a movie for a colleague who is in the hospital. The rest of us would like to see her, but she doesn't need us trooping through her room. Also, the flu bug is running through Allen and who knows what germs are lurking on us. So I recorded people giving her their best wishes.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Project Planning
6.1
1. I am currently working on planning technology inservice for the English department. I cannot do the whole thing at once, so I need to split the training between different sessions. The first session will cover basic things with programs that the teachers are already familiar with. The next session will be on production of multimedia. I will then have follow up sessions with individual teams to help integrate technology into their classrooms.
2. The ideas from my previous classes. I am also using my own experiences in developing the inservice. By working with individual teams, I can focus on individual needs of the teams.
3. My first source is my previous classes. The second source is my own observations of the department's needs. Third I will have individual feedback. I am willing to use all sources to develop training.
6.2
1.The two organizations I am involved with are the Colin County A&M Club and Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority. For the CCAMC I organize our annual scholarship and plan Muster. I am the chapter president for my teaching sorority.
2. For both groups we brainstorm ideas and at times research to find new ideas. Generating ideas is important. We can be successful by adapting and combining ideas.
3. Both groups are dependent on the people who make up the organization. A frequent mantra for ADK is "if you do the same thing you have always done, you will get the same thing you have always gotten." Neither group is afraid to try something new.
4. I prefer to work with new people or different people. Dialogue can provide new ideas or improvement on "old" ideas.
1. I am currently working on planning technology inservice for the English department. I cannot do the whole thing at once, so I need to split the training between different sessions. The first session will cover basic things with programs that the teachers are already familiar with. The next session will be on production of multimedia. I will then have follow up sessions with individual teams to help integrate technology into their classrooms.
2. The ideas from my previous classes. I am also using my own experiences in developing the inservice. By working with individual teams, I can focus on individual needs of the teams.
3. My first source is my previous classes. The second source is my own observations of the department's needs. Third I will have individual feedback. I am willing to use all sources to develop training.
6.2
1.The two organizations I am involved with are the Colin County A&M Club and Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority. For the CCAMC I organize our annual scholarship and plan Muster. I am the chapter president for my teaching sorority.
2. For both groups we brainstorm ideas and at times research to find new ideas. Generating ideas is important. We can be successful by adapting and combining ideas.
3. Both groups are dependent on the people who make up the organization. A frequent mantra for ADK is "if you do the same thing you have always done, you will get the same thing you have always gotten." Neither group is afraid to try something new.
4. I prefer to work with new people or different people. Dialogue can provide new ideas or improvement on "old" ideas.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Current Research
1-
Bogle, L., Cook, V., Swan, K. (2009). Blended program development: Applying the quality
matters and community of inquiry frameworks to ensure high quality design and
implementation. Journal of the Research Center for Education Technology. 5(2). 51-65.
http://www.rcetj.org/files/2009summer/RCETJ_5_2_blendedlearning2.pdf
This article looked at how to provide quality programs in blended classes. This article looked at graduate programs. The article is important since it uses a peer review process. The framework used ensures that the blended programs contain the same standards as traditional classes.
2-
Lee, J. & Spires, H. (2009). What students think about technology and academic engagement in
school: Implications for middle grades teaching and learning. AACE Journal. 17(2), pp. 61- 81. Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
http://www.editlib.org/p/27007
The is article gives practical advice for teachers. The authors point to students' dependency on technology as a reason to use technology in the classroom. The article is well researched by the authors. They collected data in the form of surveys. By getting student opinions the authors show how to find ways to improve student engagement. The article stresses the need for teachers to find and use the technology tools students use.
3-
Teston, G. (2008). Software piracy among technology education students: Investigating
property rights in a culture of innovation. Journal of Technology Education 20(1), pp 66- 78.
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v20n1/teston.pdf
The ethical use of technology is an important part of any program. The view of ownership is changing as a younger generation seems to lack a value for intellectual property. The focus of the article is on software piracy, but ethics in technology is part of a growing problem. Teachers, professors, and mentors need to stress and develop ethics. This article use surveys to gauge opinions. The author tied Kohlberg's research on moral development to creating a set of ethics for technology use.
Bogle, L., Cook, V., Swan, K. (2009). Blended program development: Applying the quality
matters and community of inquiry frameworks to ensure high quality design and
implementation. Journal of the Research Center for Education Technology. 5(2). 51-65.
http://www.rcetj.org/files/2009summer/RCETJ_5_2_blendedlearning2.pdf
This article looked at how to provide quality programs in blended classes. This article looked at graduate programs. The article is important since it uses a peer review process. The framework used ensures that the blended programs contain the same standards as traditional classes.
2-
Lee, J. & Spires, H. (2009). What students think about technology and academic engagement in
school: Implications for middle grades teaching and learning. AACE Journal. 17(2), pp. 61- 81. Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
http://www.editlib.org/p/27007
The is article gives practical advice for teachers. The authors point to students' dependency on technology as a reason to use technology in the classroom. The article is well researched by the authors. They collected data in the form of surveys. By getting student opinions the authors show how to find ways to improve student engagement. The article stresses the need for teachers to find and use the technology tools students use.
3-
Teston, G. (2008). Software piracy among technology education students: Investigating
property rights in a culture of innovation. Journal of Technology Education 20(1), pp 66- 78.
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v20n1/teston.pdf
The ethical use of technology is an important part of any program. The view of ownership is changing as a younger generation seems to lack a value for intellectual property. The focus of the article is on software piracy, but ethics in technology is part of a growing problem. Teachers, professors, and mentors need to stress and develop ethics. This article use surveys to gauge opinions. The author tied Kohlberg's research on moral development to creating a set of ethics for technology use.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Professional Development Experience
For the most part my professional development experience has been limited to being a participant. However, I have been in charge of programs for organizations outside the school district. The two organizations that I have the most responsibility are the Colin County A&M Club and Alpha Delta Kappa sorority. For CCAMC, I am the scholarship chair and Muster Chair. I send out the scholarship applications to schools and then organize them when they are returned. I also head the committee that determines the winner. Muster is a bigger responsibility. Planning the event requires reserving the location, coordinating the catering, finding a speaker, and organizing Roll Call. I am the current president of my chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa (a teaching sorority). I plan and preside over meetings. I have also had the opportunity to lead a workshop at a regional conference. The work shop was on program design for meetings.
At my school I am Co-Advisor of the Student Council and have been a team leader for English II. Primarily I have been a participant in in-service. However, I have directed team meetings where we designed lessons and planned units of study. As a STUCCO advisor I help guide student projects for our school and community.
1
To encourage continuous growth and development of individuals
As team leader I facilitated lesson design. I have mentored other teachers and students.
To assist people in responding to practical problems and issues of adult life
At an ADK conference I led a workshop on program design. In the classroom I encourage students to make real-life connections to our units of study.
To prepare people for current and future work opportunities
I help students develop the skills and behaviors that they will need in the future. I show students how our units of study can be related to their lives.
To assist in achieving desired results and adapting to change
I help sophomore students adjust to the high school. I work with STUCCO to improve the school.
To provide opportunities to examine and foster change related to societal and global issues
STUCCO has several committees that do projects for the community. Some are local projects others deal with larger issues such as the environment. I encourage my students to think about larger global issues.
2
Positives
A valuable in-service is one where I can take what I learned immediately back to the classroom. I also like engagement in in-service.
Problems
I get frustrated in in-services where I already know the information. I have been in trainings where I understand the material better than others so I have to wait while the instructor explains it to them in more depth
At my school I am Co-Advisor of the Student Council and have been a team leader for English II. Primarily I have been a participant in in-service. However, I have directed team meetings where we designed lessons and planned units of study. As a STUCCO advisor I help guide student projects for our school and community.
1
To encourage continuous growth and development of individuals
As team leader I facilitated lesson design. I have mentored other teachers and students.
To assist people in responding to practical problems and issues of adult life
At an ADK conference I led a workshop on program design. In the classroom I encourage students to make real-life connections to our units of study.
To prepare people for current and future work opportunities
I help students develop the skills and behaviors that they will need in the future. I show students how our units of study can be related to their lives.
To assist in achieving desired results and adapting to change
I help sophomore students adjust to the high school. I work with STUCCO to improve the school.
To provide opportunities to examine and foster change related to societal and global issues
STUCCO has several committees that do projects for the community. Some are local projects others deal with larger issues such as the environment. I encourage my students to think about larger global issues.
2
Positives
A valuable in-service is one where I can take what I learned immediately back to the classroom. I also like engagement in in-service.
Problems
I get frustrated in in-services where I already know the information. I have been in trainings where I understand the material better than others so I have to wait while the instructor explains it to them in more depth
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Mentoring
I just finished using my new found movie making skills to create a video of one of my former students. He started his first game at A&M Saturday night. I have no illusions that my influence convinced him to attend A&M. He picked the best place for him. None of my teachers influenced my own decision to attend A&M. None of them really influenced my chosen profession. I did have teachers that showed the type of teacher I wanted to be and unfortunately the type of teacher I didn't want to be. My two favorite teachers from high school were complete opposites. Mr. Groves was the typical math teacher with a pocket protector and a single focus on math. He had taught math so long that he had worn away something in his elbow and could draw a perfect circle by flicking his wrist. He wasn't personable, but he was there every morning for tutoring, and he constantly worked to make sure I learned math. Mrs. Jones, my junior English teacher, was personable, funny, and outgoing. She was able to connect to students with her personality. I have tried to keep their examples in mind as I teach and work with my students.
My first year of teaching I was assigned a mentor, two in fact. I tended to refer them as Lucy and Ethel. Needless to say, they were not that much help. I wondered around the first few days of inservice until I met Marie. She is another English teacher who helped me get started at Allen. In the last 12 years she has probably helped me more than anyone. I still looked to her for advice and even send others to her when they need advice.
Teaching does not just involve the classroom. New teachers need help navigating the bureaucracy and the "backstage" action. Too many times teachers feel isolated. All the bureaucracy creates this. When I did my class work for certification, a professor told the class to stay out of the teacher's lounge for the first three years. I think this is disastrous advice.
Veteran and new teachers need each other to be sounding boards. So much happens in school we need each other's support. Other teachers have offered me support as I went through rough spots. They convince me to keep going. Books can tell you how to manage a class, design a lesson, and other things. But it takes another teacher to show you how to be a teacher.
On another not my textbook finally arrived. So when I finish my reading assignment I can go back and do the blog I missed.
My first year of teaching I was assigned a mentor, two in fact. I tended to refer them as Lucy and Ethel. Needless to say, they were not that much help. I wondered around the first few days of inservice until I met Marie. She is another English teacher who helped me get started at Allen. In the last 12 years she has probably helped me more than anyone. I still looked to her for advice and even send others to her when they need advice.
Teaching does not just involve the classroom. New teachers need help navigating the bureaucracy and the "backstage" action. Too many times teachers feel isolated. All the bureaucracy creates this. When I did my class work for certification, a professor told the class to stay out of the teacher's lounge for the first three years. I think this is disastrous advice.
Veteran and new teachers need each other to be sounding boards. So much happens in school we need each other's support. Other teachers have offered me support as I went through rough spots. They convince me to keep going. Books can tell you how to manage a class, design a lesson, and other things. But it takes another teacher to show you how to be a teacher.
On another not my textbook finally arrived. So when I finish my reading assignment I can go back and do the blog I missed.
Friday, September 4, 2009
What a Week
The second week of school has been hectic. Monday was Meet the Teacher Night, followed by a Student Council meeting. My Mom finally had her surgery on Tuesday. She came through great. This has been a huge relief to me. Wednesday I visited her in the hospital. Thursday was a football game that included a 2 hour weather delay. Friday is finally the day I can really get to work, but only for a few hours. Tomorrow I am going out of town for the day. Sunday will be spent decorating the town for Homecoming. Monday I'm off but I plan to spend the day with my Mom. Friday is the game and Saturday is the dance. I should be able to find the time to do some class work, if my book gets to me this week. I am really going to miss the relaxation of the last few weeks.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
For what will probably be my last blog for this class, I thought I would reflect on what I have learned this summer. These are things I want to take back to my classroom.
1. Multimedia is more about student production that teacher delivery. Sure it my be great to have a great way to deliver information. Students may be more engaged in learning. But ultimately we need to provide students with a way to use the technology themselves.
2. The digital classroom represents the future. I don't know how long it will take me to go completely digital, but it is something I will strive for. I will still have paper in my classroom just less of it.
3. The new component of literacy. Students need to truly understand the technology around them. Many have an extensive knowledge of technology, but it is not a very deep knowledge. We need to give students an opportunity to be consumers of knowledge and information. Students need to know how to recognize the good and the bad in the online world. Students need to be creators of knowledge. We must give students an opportunity to develop this new dimension.
1. Multimedia is more about student production that teacher delivery. Sure it my be great to have a great way to deliver information. Students may be more engaged in learning. But ultimately we need to provide students with a way to use the technology themselves.
2. The digital classroom represents the future. I don't know how long it will take me to go completely digital, but it is something I will strive for. I will still have paper in my classroom just less of it.
3. The new component of literacy. Students need to truly understand the technology around them. Many have an extensive knowledge of technology, but it is not a very deep knowledge. We need to give students an opportunity to be consumers of knowledge and information. Students need to know how to recognize the good and the bad in the online world. Students need to be creators of knowledge. We must give students an opportunity to develop this new dimension.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Throwing My Lists Away
All summer I have been ruled by lists. Each day I had tasks I had to accomplish. I am down to only two more assignments -- the two final exams. I probably should add studying to the last list
Ironically I may need to start new lists for the two weeks I have before I start back to work. The new growing list includes the growing grass in my yard. A combination of rain and the two weeks since I mowed will make this a tough job. There are a few movies I have wanted to see but didn't have the time to go see.
Yesterday I found out the school district is getting a new website and program. Apparently this was mentioned in the spring, but I don't remember it. It would have been nice if these were in July. I could have used it in my website assignment. So building a new website will be something I need to work on at the beginning of the year. I still have some things I need to do before school starts.
After the exams, movies, and yard, I'll get started on those.
Ironically I may need to start new lists for the two weeks I have before I start back to work. The new growing list includes the growing grass in my yard. A combination of rain and the two weeks since I mowed will make this a tough job. There are a few movies I have wanted to see but didn't have the time to go see.
Yesterday I found out the school district is getting a new website and program. Apparently this was mentioned in the spring, but I don't remember it. It would have been nice if these were in July. I could have used it in my website assignment. So building a new website will be something I need to work on at the beginning of the year. I still have some things I need to do before school starts.
After the exams, movies, and yard, I'll get started on those.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Evaluating the Media Component
I sent the Media Component to a friend and colleague to get feedback on it. I sent her the file and directions on how to open and view the files. She called me a little later and in talking with her realized we had a tech issue. I went up to school to see if we could figure it out. I took my laptop in case she needed to view it through the laptop.
When I got to school, I discovered that she either did not follow my directions or the directions were not clear enough. When I use this with my students I will need to demonstrate opening the file and give very clear directions. I hope to use this program this year. My students should become familiar with opening the program.
My friend found a mistake that needed to be edited. The one concern she had was the length of the Media Component. She felt it would be overwhelming for some students. Her suggestion was to break it down for students. So each night they would be responsible for only a few pages.
The other concern was with the availability for some students. We still have students that do not have internet access. However, the public library has computers students can use, and they can always use school computers. Because the component has YouTube videos it would be difficult to complete this at school.
Overall, after solving the tech issues she was impressed with the SoftChalk program. Another teacher was there so I gave both of them a demonstration of the program. They both were impressed with what the program could do. They wanted the school to buy it! We had some fun goofing around with quizzes and activities. So SoftChalk has two new fans.
When I got to school, I discovered that she either did not follow my directions or the directions were not clear enough. When I use this with my students I will need to demonstrate opening the file and give very clear directions. I hope to use this program this year. My students should become familiar with opening the program.
My friend found a mistake that needed to be edited. The one concern she had was the length of the Media Component. She felt it would be overwhelming for some students. Her suggestion was to break it down for students. So each night they would be responsible for only a few pages.
The other concern was with the availability for some students. We still have students that do not have internet access. However, the public library has computers students can use, and they can always use school computers. Because the component has YouTube videos it would be difficult to complete this at school.
Overall, after solving the tech issues she was impressed with the SoftChalk program. Another teacher was there so I gave both of them a demonstration of the program. They both were impressed with what the program could do. They wanted the school to buy it! We had some fun goofing around with quizzes and activities. So SoftChalk has two new fans.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Close to the Finish Line
I have finished my Educational Research class. That is one thing that is off my mind. I still have to finish one project and final for the Assessment and Multimedia classes. Then I have two weeks before starting back to school. Those two weeks may be just as packed as the last four weeks. I will be going to a few doctors appointments with my mom, and I need to catch up on my reading. With what little time I have left I will start adding to my class some of the things I learned this summer. I also would like to create a video of their 50th wedding aniversary for my aunt & uncle.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
District Technology
Allen ISD prides itself as being second to none when it comes to technology. Every election cycle it seems that there is a bond proposal to add or upgrade technology. Because we have made such a big investment, we make another large investment in resources to maintain and upkeep our technology. This investment means that teachers are suppose to make every attempt to make the best possible use of the technology resources. Since teachers are devoting time and energy using and developing these resources, the district must devote resources to maintain data and computer systems.
We have a variety of systems that need to be protected. We store testing and demographic data on Triand. Previously, attendance and grades were done on two separate programs. This year they will be combined in the Skyward program. For email we use Lotus. We have video content through the Montage system. In addition to these systems, the department maintains the district server.
The technology department works hard protecting our resources. To prevent hacking and viruses network engineers run a variety of programs. As necessary the district up grades the software. The system is backed up daily. Information that has been deleted is available on the backed up files.
At Allen High School, every teacher and student has storage space on the server. Each user creates their own file system within their folder. Teachers also have “the shared drive” where any teacher can place files that other teachers have access to. This is a great place for collaboration. Updates to the system are run on TACO (turn all computers on) Thursday. Teachers and students can access the server from home with the Citrix system.
I think Allen ISD does a wonderful job protecting its resources. In twelve years in the district, I can only remember one time a virus struck our system. A teacher opened an email from an unknown source and everyone’s printer started printing. Similarly, our data has been protected. A few years ago technology redid the server. We were given plenty of notice so we could also backup our files. The shared drive was completely erased. The shared drive had become cluttered with personal files, outdated files (ex. old sports schedules), and files no longer used. In addition folders on the drive are alphabetical so teachers were competing to see who could put the most “A”s for their folder name so theirs would be near the top. To keep this from happening again folders were organized by departments and we are to self-monitor to keep this drive from becoming too cluttered to be useful. This past year when the district switched the Montage server, several teachers, including me, lost our playlists. It took a little more than an hour to rebuild the list. It may not seem like much but it is frustrating when you work to build something then it is gone.
I do have a few recommendations. Since teachers have a shared drive to collaborate, students should as well. Some may think this will lead to cheating since students will have access to other students’ work. However, if a student wants to cheat he or she will cheat. Furthermore, more opportunities for cheating are available on the internet. I would also like one system for our data. The Skyward system combining attendance and grading is a start. It would be even better if testing data was also available through this program. The computer labs do not have monitoring software. If they did this would give teachers a better resource to keep students on task. My final recommendation/complaint is with the spam filter. If I send something from my Yahoo account to my school email it is sent to my spam folder and I can’t remove it. The same thing happens if a student sends me something from a Yahoo email account. This creates a difficult situation when a student is trying to turn in an assignment. This became a problem several years ago, then it seemed that it was fixed. Now the problem has begun occurring again.
Despite a few bumps along the road Allen taxpayers can rest assured that the investment in technology is well taken care of.
We have a variety of systems that need to be protected. We store testing and demographic data on Triand. Previously, attendance and grades were done on two separate programs. This year they will be combined in the Skyward program. For email we use Lotus. We have video content through the Montage system. In addition to these systems, the department maintains the district server.
The technology department works hard protecting our resources. To prevent hacking and viruses network engineers run a variety of programs. As necessary the district up grades the software. The system is backed up daily. Information that has been deleted is available on the backed up files.
At Allen High School, every teacher and student has storage space on the server. Each user creates their own file system within their folder. Teachers also have “the shared drive” where any teacher can place files that other teachers have access to. This is a great place for collaboration. Updates to the system are run on TACO (turn all computers on) Thursday. Teachers and students can access the server from home with the Citrix system.
I think Allen ISD does a wonderful job protecting its resources. In twelve years in the district, I can only remember one time a virus struck our system. A teacher opened an email from an unknown source and everyone’s printer started printing. Similarly, our data has been protected. A few years ago technology redid the server. We were given plenty of notice so we could also backup our files. The shared drive was completely erased. The shared drive had become cluttered with personal files, outdated files (ex. old sports schedules), and files no longer used. In addition folders on the drive are alphabetical so teachers were competing to see who could put the most “A”s for their folder name so theirs would be near the top. To keep this from happening again folders were organized by departments and we are to self-monitor to keep this drive from becoming too cluttered to be useful. This past year when the district switched the Montage server, several teachers, including me, lost our playlists. It took a little more than an hour to rebuild the list. It may not seem like much but it is frustrating when you work to build something then it is gone.
I do have a few recommendations. Since teachers have a shared drive to collaborate, students should as well. Some may think this will lead to cheating since students will have access to other students’ work. However, if a student wants to cheat he or she will cheat. Furthermore, more opportunities for cheating are available on the internet. I would also like one system for our data. The Skyward system combining attendance and grading is a start. It would be even better if testing data was also available through this program. The computer labs do not have monitoring software. If they did this would give teachers a better resource to keep students on task. My final recommendation/complaint is with the spam filter. If I send something from my Yahoo account to my school email it is sent to my spam folder and I can’t remove it. The same thing happens if a student sends me something from a Yahoo email account. This creates a difficult situation when a student is trying to turn in an assignment. This became a problem several years ago, then it seemed that it was fixed. Now the problem has begun occurring again.
Despite a few bumps along the road Allen taxpayers can rest assured that the investment in technology is well taken care of.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Knowledge into Practice
The technology courses have taught me about different things I can use in the classroom. When summer school is over, and if I have the energy, I will work on putting technology in place in my classroom. From these courses I have learned to think of technology not just as a method of delivery but also a method of assessment. Technology will play a bigger role in both of these this year in my classroom.
More multimedia in the classroom will help with student engagement. I want to use podcasts for instruction. If a student is struggling with class information he or she can download the podcast to get further instruction or clarification. Students have so much going on in their lives, that it is sometimes difficult for them to come in for tutoring. Podcasts can be seen as 24 hour a day tutoring. I would like to use video to model procedures for the students. My department already has plans to do this for our summer reading presentations. Video has a great potential to improve student learning. Teachers could video giving feedback on essays to help students understand how to do peer editing. There will be other opportunities during the year to film teachers modelling for the students. This will take time to plan but the results will be worth it.
Teachers should not get to have all the fun with technology. I want my students to feel comfortable using technology. They should be comfortable selecting the appropriate technology. Students can use their skills to create a product that can be used as an assessment. Students think they know everything about technology, but rarely are they good consumers of technology. Schools need to prepare students for the future when they will have to judge and evaluate the technology. Schools must teach students this new dimension of technological literacy.
My classroom will strive to do all this. I will embrace the technology I have or that the students have to prepare them for the future.
More multimedia in the classroom will help with student engagement. I want to use podcasts for instruction. If a student is struggling with class information he or she can download the podcast to get further instruction or clarification. Students have so much going on in their lives, that it is sometimes difficult for them to come in for tutoring. Podcasts can be seen as 24 hour a day tutoring. I would like to use video to model procedures for the students. My department already has plans to do this for our summer reading presentations. Video has a great potential to improve student learning. Teachers could video giving feedback on essays to help students understand how to do peer editing. There will be other opportunities during the year to film teachers modelling for the students. This will take time to plan but the results will be worth it.
Teachers should not get to have all the fun with technology. I want my students to feel comfortable using technology. They should be comfortable selecting the appropriate technology. Students can use their skills to create a product that can be used as an assessment. Students think they know everything about technology, but rarely are they good consumers of technology. Schools need to prepare students for the future when they will have to judge and evaluate the technology. Schools must teach students this new dimension of technological literacy.
My classroom will strive to do all this. I will embrace the technology I have or that the students have to prepare them for the future.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Ending the Cell Phone Ban
Money is always seen as an obstacle to increasing technology in the classroom. That being the case why won't schools embrace technology that will not cost a cent? Most students have a perfect technology tool in their pocket. It's the cell phone. In the classroom, I am always on guard for contraband cell phones. Our students are allowed to have cell phones at school, but they must be turned off and cannot be visible. Cell phones are not going away, for students or adults. We must teach students the etiquette for cell phones. It is not acceptable to text during class, play games during class, or listen to music through headphones hidden by long hair. In a weird sense making cell phones contraband encourages the secrecy of their use and misuse in the classroom.
Because this technology is at no cost to the schools, we must embrace it and find ways to harness it in the classroom. It is unconscionable to ignore the potential of this technology. At the bare minimum cell phones have calendar functions, communication and alarms. Most cell phones now have cameras, and many have internet capabilities. All of these could be used in the classroom.
Since cell phones are wireless, they can be used anywhere in the classroom without hardware (Kim, Holmes, & Mims, 2005). Cell phones are affordable for almost all students. In fact very few of my students do not have cell phones. Cell phones are a perfect way for students to organize and manage school. Students can make to do lists, put reminders on calendars, and set alarms as reminders. By using the cameras on phones students can work on a production component for assignments.
Cell phones are a technology students already have and can use with minimal instruction. School must stop fearing their use. There is potential for cell phone abuse. Perhaps it will make it more difficult to monitor student use of cell phones if they are a part of class. After all, when cell phones are banned anytime they are visible is against the rules. But, when students learn to use the technology in conjunction with the classroom, they also learn the proper way to use cell phones. And isn't that are responsibility as educators -- to prepare our students for the future. In their careers, students shouldn't sneak peeks at their cell phones during meetings. However, if they develop this practice in the classroom, what will change their behavior in the future?
Schools must embrace this inexpensive technology for its potential in the classroom and to illustrate the proper etiquette for cell phone use.
References
Kim, S., Holmes, K., & Mims, C. (2005). Opening a dialogue on the new technologies in education. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 49(3), 54-89. Retrieved July 7, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.
Because this technology is at no cost to the schools, we must embrace it and find ways to harness it in the classroom. It is unconscionable to ignore the potential of this technology. At the bare minimum cell phones have calendar functions, communication and alarms. Most cell phones now have cameras, and many have internet capabilities. All of these could be used in the classroom.
Since cell phones are wireless, they can be used anywhere in the classroom without hardware (Kim, Holmes, & Mims, 2005). Cell phones are affordable for almost all students. In fact very few of my students do not have cell phones. Cell phones are a perfect way for students to organize and manage school. Students can make to do lists, put reminders on calendars, and set alarms as reminders. By using the cameras on phones students can work on a production component for assignments.
Cell phones are a technology students already have and can use with minimal instruction. School must stop fearing their use. There is potential for cell phone abuse. Perhaps it will make it more difficult to monitor student use of cell phones if they are a part of class. After all, when cell phones are banned anytime they are visible is against the rules. But, when students learn to use the technology in conjunction with the classroom, they also learn the proper way to use cell phones. And isn't that are responsibility as educators -- to prepare our students for the future. In their careers, students shouldn't sneak peeks at their cell phones during meetings. However, if they develop this practice in the classroom, what will change their behavior in the future?
Schools must embrace this inexpensive technology for its potential in the classroom and to illustrate the proper etiquette for cell phone use.
References
Kim, S., Holmes, K., & Mims, C. (2005). Opening a dialogue on the new technologies in education. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 49(3), 54-89. Retrieved July 7, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
My Saturday
Yesterday I took a short break from my studies to attend my uncle's and aunt's 50th wedding aniversery party. The party was outside of Shreveport so it was about a 4 hour drive there. I took my books for my research class so I could get some work completed. Once again I faced technology difficulties. This time it was batteries. I had charged the batteries a week before, but had not used the camera more than a few minutes since then. The batteries lasted about an hour and half but the camera wasn't on the entire time.
My plan had been to record congratulations to for my uncle & aunt then create a movie for them. I do have some footage and my mom got pictures of almost everyone who came. If my footage is usable, I have doubts since the background noise may have been too loud, I can combine it with my mom's pictures to make my uncle & aunt a special memory.
Here is a case where I am applying what I have learned in class to something outside the classroom. This is an important part of incorporating technology in the classroom. Teachers need to realize that there is not a line between the technology we use in the classroom and the technology we use outside it. If we think about how we can use the technology we have mastered outside the classroom perhaps it will not seem so scary to some teachers.
My plan had been to record congratulations to for my uncle & aunt then create a movie for them. I do have some footage and my mom got pictures of almost everyone who came. If my footage is usable, I have doubts since the background noise may have been too loud, I can combine it with my mom's pictures to make my uncle & aunt a special memory.
Here is a case where I am applying what I have learned in class to something outside the classroom. This is an important part of incorporating technology in the classroom. Teachers need to realize that there is not a line between the technology we use in the classroom and the technology we use outside it. If we think about how we can use the technology we have mastered outside the classroom perhaps it will not seem so scary to some teachers.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Embracing New Technology
Last summer I got a laptop. My mother was intrigued when I sat at her dining room table reading the comics online. I also showed my dad a video she had sent me. Since then she constantly emails me when she sees a laptop on sale. She thinks that if she gets one my dad would use it. He doesn't use their desk top computer. He rarely goes near it. If my mom wants him to read an email, she prints it out for him. She would like for him to be able to read the comics he likes but aren't carried in the paper.
She thought about getting one but always talked herself out of it. After almost a year of her talking about it, I pointed out to her that she really wanted one. She was scheduled to have surgery this week and would spend several weeks recovering (She didn't which has caused a whole new level of stress for me). I told her that if she was going to get one now would be the time to do it. Since she would be recovering in bed or in the recliner, she would get the most use out of the laptop now. So a week and a half ago I bought her a laptop. It's her very early anniversary/birthday/Christmas present.
Even though she didn't have surgery and can use the desk top, she has really loved using the laptop. I don't know that she gives my dad time to use it. She wasn't sure she would use the technology but when she got it she has embraced it.
I think teachers work the same way. Several years ago our classrooms were wired for surround sound, and we were given microphones to use. We all grumbled about them, but most of us have embraced this new technology and recognize its value. Many of the older teachers are unsure of technology, but when provided with a chance to use it do very well with it.
I think my challenge for this up coming year is to show my peers what technology can do and how to best incorporate it into class. Like my mom and the laptop, once teachers have the technology they will use it efficiently.
She thought about getting one but always talked herself out of it. After almost a year of her talking about it, I pointed out to her that she really wanted one. She was scheduled to have surgery this week and would spend several weeks recovering (She didn't which has caused a whole new level of stress for me). I told her that if she was going to get one now would be the time to do it. Since she would be recovering in bed or in the recliner, she would get the most use out of the laptop now. So a week and a half ago I bought her a laptop. It's her very early anniversary/birthday/Christmas present.
Even though she didn't have surgery and can use the desk top, she has really loved using the laptop. I don't know that she gives my dad time to use it. She wasn't sure she would use the technology but when she got it she has embraced it.
I think teachers work the same way. Several years ago our classrooms were wired for surround sound, and we were given microphones to use. We all grumbled about them, but most of us have embraced this new technology and recognize its value. Many of the older teachers are unsure of technology, but when provided with a chance to use it do very well with it.
I think my challenge for this up coming year is to show my peers what technology can do and how to best incorporate it into class. Like my mom and the laptop, once teachers have the technology they will use it efficiently.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Websites
Years ago when I first started teaching, I began building a website to use for class. It had information about me, ways for parents & students to communicate with me. I had subpages for the units I teach. Students could get notes and calendars. I spent several years getting it just the way I wanted. I really embraced this technology.
Then tragedy struck. The district decided to get a new web program. Everything I had built and refined was gone. I had to start over. Now sometimes change can be good, but in this case it wasn't. The new program is not user friendly and there are restrictions on what I can do with the site (i.e. no subpages). The site has information about me and allows me to post notes and other things in folders. Students and parents can find information there. It serves its purpose, but I still don't like it.
The site has one background -- a boring white. I could add a gallery but then visitors would have to go to the site instead of it automatically seeing it on the page. My other problem with the site is in the announcements section. Two years ago I entered the due date for an assignment. Now I can't get it to go away. I have tried deleting it, typing over it, nothing works. So now for all eternity (or until we change web programs) Timelines are due August 23 & 24.
So with all this in mind, I have started an "Unofficial" website for class. This is the website I started in class for LaKeisha's and LaTosha's presentation. I have added sub pages. I still need to work on this assignment, but I feel good about the start I have on it.
I hope this can be a "living" resource for my class, just as my old page was.
Then tragedy struck. The district decided to get a new web program. Everything I had built and refined was gone. I had to start over. Now sometimes change can be good, but in this case it wasn't. The new program is not user friendly and there are restrictions on what I can do with the site (i.e. no subpages). The site has information about me and allows me to post notes and other things in folders. Students and parents can find information there. It serves its purpose, but I still don't like it.
The site has one background -- a boring white. I could add a gallery but then visitors would have to go to the site instead of it automatically seeing it on the page. My other problem with the site is in the announcements section. Two years ago I entered the due date for an assignment. Now I can't get it to go away. I have tried deleting it, typing over it, nothing works. So now for all eternity (or until we change web programs) Timelines are due August 23 & 24.
So with all this in mind, I have started an "Unofficial" website for class. This is the website I started in class for LaKeisha's and LaTosha's presentation. I have added sub pages. I still need to work on this assignment, but I feel good about the start I have on it.
I hope this can be a "living" resource for my class, just as my old page was.
Monday, July 13, 2009
My Soapbox Blog
Even before this summer, I have spent time looking online to find resources to enhance my classroom. I've never had problems finding worksheets for the units I am teaching. But I've found that the resources for elementary grades far exceeds the resources for high school students. It seems we spend more educational resources on elementary students. Maybe that's why students in high school lack motivation and engagement for school. This weekend I searched for multimedia to use in the classroom. It wasn't hard to find educational games for younger students, even middle school students. But games for high school just didn't seem to be there.
I guess I can't complain about the resources I have in my classroom. I am blessed to have these resources when so many other teachers don't. But it's hard not to be a little jealous when the elementary teachers in my district have response pads and Smart Boards.
I guess I can't complain about the resources I have in my classroom. I am blessed to have these resources when so many other teachers don't. But it's hard not to be a little jealous when the elementary teachers in my district have response pads and Smart Boards.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Making Videos
I have now finished both of my videos. Each one had technical problems that needed to be overcome. As chronicled earlier, I had a surprise when I went to work on the first video. The camera files were not compatible with Windows Movie Maker. I did find a free converter (Prism) to use on the files. Once I converted the files, I had a good time turning my dogs into movie stars. One thing I still need to work on is when each a particular shot should be used. I can add that to my list of things to do in August. Editing the video was not difficult but it was time consuming. Some of my shots are too long and some are not long enough, mainly because I couldn't get my dogs to cooperate. I had fun playing with the different effects and picking the music that I felt matched my dogs.
The second video was not without problems.
I thought I had everything prepared. I charged my batteries, cleaned off the memory card, made sure my classroom microphone was charged, and set everything out to take to school (where I would be filming.) Problem number one, my memory card would only hold 14 seconds of video. I went to my backup camera. I couldn't get that one to work. In all my preparations it didn't occur to me to bring extra memory cards. Luckily I only live a few minutes away. I ran home to get additional memory cards. When I got back to school, my first camera would not work. I had hooked to the computer and somehow disabled it. It works now, but didn't then. I had to use my backup camera which does video, but is for still pictures. That evening I started editing. I noticed that the audio skipped and the picture quality was low, but I hoped when I published it would be better as it had been with the first video. I struggled with how to split the video precisely. I think this is part of the learning process; how to film a video so that the editing is manageable. I published the video, but my hopes were not realized. The camera quality is not very good.
I am encouraged that I was able to make the videos, even with the problems. I am looking forward to making videos for class and having my students make videos. I already have ideas for assignments. My Academic Associate (Department Head) has already given me a video assignment for August. I will be recording fellow teachers demonstrating a book talk. This is an assignment our sophomores will need to do the first few weeks of school.
What I have learned and/or need to work on. I think I will be better organized and have a better idea of what shots I need if I do a storyboard beforehand. I need to work on doing precision editing. Overall, making a video is not difficult and is something I can easily accomplish.
The second video was not without problems.
I thought I had everything prepared. I charged my batteries, cleaned off the memory card, made sure my classroom microphone was charged, and set everything out to take to school (where I would be filming.) Problem number one, my memory card would only hold 14 seconds of video. I went to my backup camera. I couldn't get that one to work. In all my preparations it didn't occur to me to bring extra memory cards. Luckily I only live a few minutes away. I ran home to get additional memory cards. When I got back to school, my first camera would not work. I had hooked to the computer and somehow disabled it. It works now, but didn't then. I had to use my backup camera which does video, but is for still pictures. That evening I started editing. I noticed that the audio skipped and the picture quality was low, but I hoped when I published it would be better as it had been with the first video. I struggled with how to split the video precisely. I think this is part of the learning process; how to film a video so that the editing is manageable. I published the video, but my hopes were not realized. The camera quality is not very good.
I am encouraged that I was able to make the videos, even with the problems. I am looking forward to making videos for class and having my students make videos. I already have ideas for assignments. My Academic Associate (Department Head) has already given me a video assignment for August. I will be recording fellow teachers demonstrating a book talk. This is an assignment our sophomores will need to do the first few weeks of school.
What I have learned and/or need to work on. I think I will be better organized and have a better idea of what shots I need if I do a storyboard beforehand. I need to work on doing precision editing. Overall, making a video is not difficult and is something I can easily accomplish.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
More Trial and Error
Friday I shot the video for my Content Video. As usual things didn't go as planned. I charged the batteries made sure the memory cards were empty. When I started filming, my card would only hold 14 seconds. I hadn't anticipated this and didn't have the other media card for the camera. I had a backup camera but couldn't get it to work. So I had to go home to and get different memory cards. Then I couldn't get the first camera to work. I worry that the quality of the video will not be as good, but it was all I had. One benefit is that I didn't have to convert the file to use Windows Movie Maker like I did with the last video. I have put the video together but haven't published it yet to see what the final copy. The process was not as tedious as the last video since I didn't have to use so many shots. It was a little time consuming to find the right place to cut the film so I could place titles screens into the video.
On Friday I also got a smart tablet to use in the classroom. After my classes are finished for the summer I can spend time learning this device. My hope is that I will become proficient enough that this can be one of my inservices.
On Friday I also got a smart tablet to use in the classroom. After my classes are finished for the summer I can spend time learning this device. My hope is that I will become proficient enough that this can be one of my inservices.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
A Perfect Time to Write
Since I start a third class on Monday, I knew I needed to get class work and personal things taken care of. I have spent the last three days in curriculum alignment. Since the state has provided us with new TEKS, we need adjust out curriculum. I did get some ideas for projects in both the Assessment and Multimedia class. Because I am in this class, I was also nominated to record and edit a video demonstrating a book talk for our students. Teachers will model a book talk during the inservice. After I record the video, we will have something to show the students.
I also needed to get my truck inspected and serviced. Today I spent over 9 hours at the dealership getting various things taken care of with my truck. I knew it would take a long time, maybe not that long, to get everything done. I was prepared for the wait. I brought my research and worked on the papers for the two classes. I finished writing the rough draft for the Assessment class and organized my notes for the Multimedia paper. I can devote tomorrow to getting work completed. My plan is to do the podcast, work on both papers, the benchmark essay, and anything else I need to accomplish. I will have some time on Saturday the 4th, but I need to celebrate Independence. Sunday will be my last chance to really get a good deal of work completed before I add work from another class.
I also needed to get my truck inspected and serviced. Today I spent over 9 hours at the dealership getting various things taken care of with my truck. I knew it would take a long time, maybe not that long, to get everything done. I was prepared for the wait. I brought my research and worked on the papers for the two classes. I finished writing the rough draft for the Assessment class and organized my notes for the Multimedia paper. I can devote tomorrow to getting work completed. My plan is to do the podcast, work on both papers, the benchmark essay, and anything else I need to accomplish. I will have some time on Saturday the 4th, but I need to celebrate Independence. Sunday will be my last chance to really get a good deal of work completed before I add work from another class.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Problems and Obstacles
I've completed the first of two videos. Whoever said never work with animals was correct. I decided to make the commitment to adding more media to the classroom, so I invested in a new camera. This will be important later. I charged the batteries, studied the shots I needed, and got ready to make my dogs movie stars. The problem was that this was Sunday afternoon, and it was hot. Peaches decided to be a diva and stood at the back door demanding to go back into the air condition. Rooney was more of a trooper. She embraced the opportunity to be an actress. Unfortunately, she was somewhat of an exhibitionist. She did the typical things that dogs do which shouldn't make it to video. Both of the dogs were restless, and it was difficult to get them to stand still long enough to get a shot. Mostly, I put food down to keep them in one place. I had the most difficulty with the noddy shot. I wanted to have one of my dogs sit then lay down. They know how to do this so it shouldn't have been a stretch. However, upon sitting they wanted to crawl toward me and that ruined the shot. I finally got Peaches to sit but that's all the shot is. I am concerned that my clips will not be long enough.
After gathering my shots, I went inside to start editing my video. Here I ran into an obstacle. My new camera recorded in Quick Time which was not compatible with Windows Movie Maker. I spent the next 30-40 minutes looking for a free converter. I thought I found one, but thankfully I read the reviews which exposed as a virus, spy ware, and spam filled depending on which review I read. I finally found Prism which would freely convert my files. My computer spent the next hour and a half converting the files. By that time I wasn't interested in editing a film. So I waited to work on it Monday afternoon.
The process of editing the film was straight forward, but time consuming. After finishing the video, I started putting the audio into the video. I had to spend some time looking at Atomic Learning and reading the Help feature to do this part. I had to play with the settings to get the narration right. I found the music to loop through the narration. It took time to get everything correct.
The thing I have learned the most from these production assignments is that they will always take considerably more time than I expect.
After gathering my shots, I went inside to start editing my video. Here I ran into an obstacle. My new camera recorded in Quick Time which was not compatible with Windows Movie Maker. I spent the next 30-40 minutes looking for a free converter. I thought I found one, but thankfully I read the reviews which exposed as a virus, spy ware, and spam filled depending on which review I read. I finally found Prism which would freely convert my files. My computer spent the next hour and a half converting the files. By that time I wasn't interested in editing a film. So I waited to work on it Monday afternoon.
The process of editing the film was straight forward, but time consuming. After finishing the video, I started putting the audio into the video. I had to spend some time looking at Atomic Learning and reading the Help feature to do this part. I had to play with the settings to get the narration right. I found the music to loop through the narration. It took time to get everything correct.
The thing I have learned the most from these production assignments is that they will always take considerably more time than I expect.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
The Classroom of the Future
Before getting to the classroom of the future, we must first look at the classroom of the present. My classroom has three computers, but multiple places to add computers. I have in infocus projector, Microsoft Office software, and a document camera. There are other technology that I don't have in the classroom, but I do have access to at school. Next year I will be able to use SmartTablets. My students have cell phones and iPods at their disposal. My students are stuck with me -- the nontechnology native. My students have always had a computer at home. I remember my first computer a Commodore 64 hooked up to a black and white TV.
A suburban school like Allen will always have the newest technology. What will change in the future is the teacher that will implement the technology. The next few years will bring teachers that have internalized the use of technology. To these teachers technology is not is not something separate from everything else. These teachers will know how to make full use of the resources the school provides.
In the future teachers will know and understand how to harness technology. Students won't have to hide their cell phones and iPods, but will use them for class work. The internet will make communication easier, and teachers and students will be able to engage in dialogue to facilitate learning. In the future, more classes will make use of podcasts and video.
I can see a time when, at least at the high school level, classes are a hybrid of face to face meetings and distance learning. Think of the financial advantages of only attending class four days a week. The fifth day would be spent with video instruction and online learning. This could also eliminate bad weather days. When it is too icy to go to school, students would attend class through distance learning. This would take a great deal of planning, but schools must meet these challenges.
The increased use of distance learning will allow student to take a larger variety of classes. Teachers with special skills can teach classes even if only a handful of students in the school want to take the class. Distance learning will allow the class to be full by enrolling students from multiple schools.
Technology changes and grows so rapidly I can only imagine what gadgets and programs my classroom will have in a few years. I do know that technology use will engage students and make the best use of the educational system. Teachers invested in technology will create a learning environment that meets the students on their own level. The educational system will be better served by these teachers.
A suburban school like Allen will always have the newest technology. What will change in the future is the teacher that will implement the technology. The next few years will bring teachers that have internalized the use of technology. To these teachers technology is not is not something separate from everything else. These teachers will know how to make full use of the resources the school provides.
In the future teachers will know and understand how to harness technology. Students won't have to hide their cell phones and iPods, but will use them for class work. The internet will make communication easier, and teachers and students will be able to engage in dialogue to facilitate learning. In the future, more classes will make use of podcasts and video.
I can see a time when, at least at the high school level, classes are a hybrid of face to face meetings and distance learning. Think of the financial advantages of only attending class four days a week. The fifth day would be spent with video instruction and online learning. This could also eliminate bad weather days. When it is too icy to go to school, students would attend class through distance learning. This would take a great deal of planning, but schools must meet these challenges.
The increased use of distance learning will allow student to take a larger variety of classes. Teachers with special skills can teach classes even if only a handful of students in the school want to take the class. Distance learning will allow the class to be full by enrolling students from multiple schools.
Technology changes and grows so rapidly I can only imagine what gadgets and programs my classroom will have in a few years. I do know that technology use will engage students and make the best use of the educational system. Teachers invested in technology will create a learning environment that meets the students on their own level. The educational system will be better served by these teachers.
Last week I managed to get a week ahead on my assignments for both classes. My lead evaporated as I got bogged down on the audio, animation, and video. I have the audio & animation completed but the video is proving to be a challenge. I used my dogs as "actors" which was difficult. I have my camera shots, but my camera recorded them in QuickTime and I now have to convert the files. It never occurred to me that any camera, not made by Apple, would be incompatible with Windows Movie Maker. I think this the most frustrating thing about technology. There is so much to think about and take into consideration. If someone is not use to using the media, it is not necessarily natural to think about file types. So instead of working on my video tonight, I am waiting for the files to convert and working on my blog. This has put me behind where I want to be. I will be working over time this week to get everything finished.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
It's easy once you know what you are doing
Once I figured out what I was doing, the animation and audio were not difficult tasks.
My first try with animation was not correct. However, I did get early practice with movie maker. My idea for what to animate was not the best either. I struggled with what to animate. English does not show processes like science or math. I settled on the short story "Harrison Bergeron." In this story people who excel at something are given handicaps to counter act their strength. Since Harrison is strong, he must carry around weights. His other gifts are also handicapped. He rebels against this. My animation showed the process of "handicapping" Harrison. To show this was not difficult, but it did take some time. I had to find the right image and size it correctly. I then had to create the text. Setting the timing on the animation took some time. With so many images on the screen, it was difficult to capture the image to set the animation. After doing this, I had to set the timer to change slides. Again, this was not difficult but I did have to practice & rehearse to get it just right. I am pleased with my final product.
The audio proved to be more frustrating and time consuming. Again, once I knew what & how to do it, it was very simple. I bought a microphone to use and downloaded Audacity and got started. My first problem was that the mic would not pick up my voice unless I spoke directly into it. This caused me to get feedback on the recording. I tried adjusting the settings, but nothing helped. I went forward even though the recording wasn't a very good quality. My next obstacle was converting it to an mp3 file. I sent 15 minutes or so searching for the program to encode the file. I wasn't satisfied with the product so I went to find another mic. The salesman assured me the mic would pick up within three feet. I went home to try it and had the same problems as before. However, this mic came with instructions for trouble shooting. The instructions suggested checking the mic volume settings. It was then that it occurred to me that I not only had to adjust not only the settings in Audacity but also through the control panel. I did this and played around with different settings. After about 15 minutes, I found the settings I wanted. With this done it took me less than 10 minutes to do the audio. My audio is a demonstration on how students can monitor their own reading. I can see doing more of these for my students. Many of my students only "call words" when they read. They don't know how to think about what they are reading, these demonstrations will help them.
My first try with animation was not correct. However, I did get early practice with movie maker. My idea for what to animate was not the best either. I struggled with what to animate. English does not show processes like science or math. I settled on the short story "Harrison Bergeron." In this story people who excel at something are given handicaps to counter act their strength. Since Harrison is strong, he must carry around weights. His other gifts are also handicapped. He rebels against this. My animation showed the process of "handicapping" Harrison. To show this was not difficult, but it did take some time. I had to find the right image and size it correctly. I then had to create the text. Setting the timing on the animation took some time. With so many images on the screen, it was difficult to capture the image to set the animation. After doing this, I had to set the timer to change slides. Again, this was not difficult but I did have to practice & rehearse to get it just right. I am pleased with my final product.
The audio proved to be more frustrating and time consuming. Again, once I knew what & how to do it, it was very simple. I bought a microphone to use and downloaded Audacity and got started. My first problem was that the mic would not pick up my voice unless I spoke directly into it. This caused me to get feedback on the recording. I tried adjusting the settings, but nothing helped. I went forward even though the recording wasn't a very good quality. My next obstacle was converting it to an mp3 file. I sent 15 minutes or so searching for the program to encode the file. I wasn't satisfied with the product so I went to find another mic. The salesman assured me the mic would pick up within three feet. I went home to try it and had the same problems as before. However, this mic came with instructions for trouble shooting. The instructions suggested checking the mic volume settings. It was then that it occurred to me that I not only had to adjust not only the settings in Audacity but also through the control panel. I did this and played around with different settings. After about 15 minutes, I found the settings I wanted. With this done it took me less than 10 minutes to do the audio. My audio is a demonstration on how students can monitor their own reading. I can see doing more of these for my students. Many of my students only "call words" when they read. They don't know how to think about what they are reading, these demonstrations will help them.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
More on Lesson Accelerators
I went back to atomic learning to look at other Lesson Accelerators. The first one I looked at was "Bibliography Boogie." This would be perfect for my students when they work on research papers. My students need repeated help with this aspect of their research papers. I did think that some parts of the lessons were below my students' abilities. For instance the step by step instructions on italicizing text would bore some of my students and cause them to lose interest. The demonstration for a website entry was especially helpful. It told the students how and where to find the information. Students struggle with website entries the most. I probably wouldn't use this in an inservice except to show what is available on Atomic Learning. I next looked at to word search. Word searches can be used as introductory assignments. They could include vocabulary from stories, characters, literary elements. I can see myself using word searches as motivational activities at the beginning of units. This would defiantly be something I would show in an inservice. One way to get other teachers excited about new technology would be to show them new things to do with technology they already understand.
Monday, June 22, 2009
For my first blog I will discuss the lesson accelerators from Atomic Learning. I am new to blogging so I looked at two lessons that covered blogging. They were helpful in explaining the different aspects of a blog. As one of the lessons explained, blogging is a great way to communicate to parents and students. Sure, we have other ways of communicating, but we need to meet our students where they are. Students are heavily invested in online communities, and blogs are a way to join the community. In an inservice I would need to get this point across to other teachers. The lesson did a search for educational blogs. Many were found. This could influence teachers. In an inservice I would want to do show teachers this search.
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