Becoming a Pro...

I'm back! Well, it has been over SEVEN months since my last post. Time sure does fly by! I am currently wrapping up my fourth semester as an Instructional Technology graduate student. This may have been my most challenging semester so far. Grad School + Full Time Job + New Baby + Husband + Housework + Everything Else = One Big Disaster. I am actually very proud to say that I have survived it all!

This semester, I have been learning about facilitating professional development. Teaching professional development to my colleagues is definitely out of my box. I do NOT like to get in front of a crowd. I know that this is an issue that I will have to overcome if I ever plan on being a technology facilitator for a school district. I think I'm making some progress!

As I think back to my assignments for this semester, there were definitely positive and negative experiences, but, in hindsight, I find that every experience has been a learning opportunity. As I tried to determine the current reality at my school, I took the time to interview the new principal at my school. This was enlightening because I was able to see his stance on technology use. I was excited to learn that he is definitely for it - he even recently purchased iPads for the teachers to use with their students. I completed a Professional Learning GAPSS Review based on our interview and I learned that my school is mostly performing at an emergent and operational level. I was actually impressed with the professional learning communities that were already developed at my school, but I wanted to see what areas were really lacking.  As a future technology facilitator (hopefully one day), I was interested to see how I could develop a professional development session based on technology implementation. While technology is widely available at my school, technology training is scarce.

Through my own research, I've discovered that teachers need, and want, the time to learn about new technology tools. I completed a schoolwide survey about technology and professional development and I learned that my colleagues really wanted to learn more in iRespond. I jumped into developmenting my professional learning plan, my teaching sessions, and my evaluation plan but I hit several roadblocks. I realized that developing a professional learning session would require me to be fluid and flexible to some extent. I ended up teaching my colleagues about "assessing using technology." We decided to look at iRespondNow and Google Forms. At the end of the training session, I was able to pass out an evaluation to the attendees, and I determined what the next steps should be. I am hoping to continue some trainings in these areas for my capstone project I am completing.

Overall, I do think that I am growing as a technology facilitator. I've learned about some new technology tools that I never used before - Prezi and Google Forms Flubaroo. I am becoming more comfortable with presenting in front of my colleagues. I also think I understand a  more about the process of developing professional learning. It is definitely a thought out, complicated process, but, if done the right way, the end result can be great!

My Brain is Full of "Things" (Thing 22)

I have finally reached the end of this semester.  I wrapping up all the final details of my courses and I'm feeling pretty good about the progress I'm making as a technology facilitator.  I really enjoyed learning about Internet tools.  There were some things I was already pretty familiar with, but I also got experience in a lot of new things as well. 

This was also the first online course that I've taken.  I found the experience to be positive.  You definitely have to be disciplined to take an online course though!  I liked the way the course was set up though and I benefitted from getting to explore the tools on my own instead of learning about the tools through a lecture.

My favorite tools so far are definitely VoiceThread and screencasting.  I plan to use these tools again and again.  The tool I'm probably still least comfortable with is podcasting.  I'm not sure why, but it just doesn't sit well with me.

Overall, I'm excited about what I learned this semester and I'm also excited to see what's to come!

Newsletter Design

Description: This field experience consisted of designing and creating a weekly team newsletter that is sent home to all fourth grade parents.  The newsletter were created using technology and following design principles.  The newsletters also included tips and websites that parents would help parents incorporate technology at home.

Standards: TF-V.C (Productivity and Professional Practice)

Semester: Spring 2011

Hours:  5+ Hours (Ranging from January 2011 to Present)

Population: Created for Fourth Grade Teachers (General and Special Ed.), Parents of Fourth Graders, and Fourth Grade Students

Reflection: As I started taking my web design class, I asked my team how they would feel about a weekly newsletter.  I decided to apply some of the design principles that I had been learning in creation of the newsletter.  Also, to include another key technology element, I decided to put links and tools on the newsletter that could help parents better implement technology at home.  This field experience allowed me to hone in on designing and it allowed me to use advanced word processing skills.  As the newsletter became more detailed and included more multimedia, I was also able to apply the guidelines for fair copyright use within the newsletter.

Weekly Smartboard Lesson Development and Implementation (For Team Use)

Weekly SmartBoard Lesson Development and Implementation (for Team Use)

Description: This field experience consisted of creating and implementing writing and math lessons and supplementary activities using SmartBoard Notebook software that could be used to guide and support the team’s instruction in their own classroom.  SmartBoard files were created and accessible to all teachers on the fourth grade team.  Lessons included interactive activities, links to video clips and games, and charts for students to reference.  All materials were standards-based. 

Standards: TF-II.A – F (Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experience); TF-III.A – E (Teaching, Learning, and the Curriculum)

Semester: Spring 2011

Hours: 10+ Hours (Ranging from January 2011 to Present)

Population: 4^th Grade Team Teachers (General Ed. and Special Ed./4^th Grade Students (Diverse – Including Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners)

Reflection: This field experience allowed me to gain deeper knowledge in creating content-based Smartboard files.  It also encouraged and supported technology use through out the fourth grade classrooms.  This helped me gain leadership experience, because I was modeling and guiding implementation of the lessons.  Standards for writing and math were determined in a curriculum mapping team meeting; therefore, I based the Smartboard files on our previous discussions.  Ultimately, technology resources were available for the use of the teachers in the 3rd and 4th quarters of the school year.  Reflecting back on the standards, this experience not only allowed me to design and plan technology-enhanced lessons, but I also got to implement the plans and strategies in my own classroom with my students.  The impact of the students was great as they were motivated to participate in mini-lessons and activities and they were involved in technology use.

Data Analysis Team Lead

Data Analysis Team Lead

Description: This field experience consisted of the following roles: preparation of data analysis sheets and assessments using available technology, collection, analysis , and interpretation of team wide data, facilitation of team discussions and meetings about data and strategies, collaboration with administration in regards to team data, and reflection through meeting minutes.

Standards: TF-IV.A, TF-IV.B (Assessment and Evaluation)

Semester: Spring 2011

Hours: 10+ Hours (Ranging from January 2011 to Present)

Population: 4^th Grade Team Teachers (General Ed. and Special Ed.)

Reflection: This field experience gave me the opportunity to take a leadership role on my fourth grade team.  At our school, each grade level collaborates on Data Teams.  During Data Teams, the teachers determine what area the students did not master in previously taught standards.  We choose one area to focus on and improve in a three to six week range.  As the Data Analysis Team Lead, I facilitated the Data Team meetings as well as created collected, analyzed, and interpreted data results.  This was done using technology resources available at the school.  This opportunity directly aligns with the Assessment and Evaluation Technology Facilitation Standards.  By completing this field experience, I was able to develop the necessary skills to guide a team of teachers through data and assessment analysis.  I learned that, as the lead for the team, it is important to maintain an enthusiastic attitude while also being very supportive.  For some teachers, item analysis, grade wide averages, and excel sheets can be overwhelming.  Some teachers need flexibility as well as patience as they might not be as comfortable with technology use and data analysis as others.  The student impact is evident.  Our team chose to focus on dividing 3-digit by 2-digit numbers and fractions.  As the students were very level from the results of the initial pre-test, there has been monumental growth through the strategies that we developed and discussed during Data Team meetings.

VoiceThread Demonstration

Description: This field experience consisted of using the technology tool VoiceThread in my own classroom to gain experience using the tool in the classroom.  Then, I shared the lesson I created with my team and demonstrated the use of VoiceThread in the classroom.  This field experience allowed me to gain knowledge in technology leadership and further my expertise in a technology tool.

Standards: TF-1.A, TF-1.B (Technology Operations and Concepts), TF-II.A - E (Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences), TF-III.A – E (Teaching, Learning, and the Curriculum), TF-IV.A (Assessment and Evaluation)

Semester: Spring 2011

Hours:  1 Hour

Population: Fourth Grade Teachers (General and Special Ed.)

Reflection: I created a VoiceThread lesson for my students, because I found the experience to be enjoyable for myself and I wanted to see how my students could use VoiceThread to further their understanding.  I also wanted to develop a lesson so I could test it out in my classroom.  Then, share my experiences with other teachers so they too would want to use the Internet tool with their students.  After implementing the lesson, my students were very excited.  They really enjoyed using VoiceThread and I knew that other teachers would be on board after they saw the enthusiasm from my students.  I shared the tool with my team at a team meeting.  I explained how to create a sign in for VoiceThread and took them through the steps of creating their own discussions that students could comment on.  I answered any questions and concerns they had as well as showed them the example from my class so they could see what the end result may look like.

Wrapping Things Up

This has definitely been a hectic semester for me.  Between work, grad school, and the little one that I have on the way (on top of everything else), I have been busy, busy, busy!  I have to say that I have definitely learned a lot this semester.  I enjoyed getting to jump into web design.  I feel like I've had huge growth in this area. 

Before this class, I had never truly created a website before - not counting the dinky high school web design class I took (let alone thought about the importance of design, color scheme, and the use of media within the site).  I got the opportunity to learn how to use Google Sites and Wix.com.  While I found creating a website frustrating at times, I've learned that the more experience I have with those sites, the more comfortable that I feel.

I also enjoyed learning how to use Audacity.  Audacity is something that I had heard about before, but I had never really got the opportunity to try out.  I really benefitted from getting the time in class to explore Audacity.  Editing audio turned out to be a lot simplier than I thought it would be.

As I continue to move forward in my grad school program, I really feel that I am taking the steps to becoming a technology facilitator within my school.  My students are also really benefitting from all of the things that I am learning (I can't wait to complete my WebQuest that I created with my students in a few weeks.  Eventually, I hope to be able to share my new knowledge with my coworkers so we can all benefit the kids!

Multimedia Design Project: A Month Later

About a month ago, I was still in the early stages of developing my multimedia design project (see post from 3/4 for more information).  At that time, I was still really overwhelmed with all of the elements and parts of the project.  I decided to focus on a social studies concept because that tends to be an area of weakness for my students.  I'm really excited about the final product that the students will be creating: an artifact and a "diary" that represents their historical figure.  I plan on completing this project with my students in May so I'm really looking forward to see what they will come up.

So far, I have been working on the website for my webquest.  I have found this to be a lot easier than I thought.  I had already determined where my information should go so all I really have to do is put it in my website where I want to it to go.

The hardest part for me is the actual creation of the media to go in the project.  I have to create audio clips and a video file to upload into the webquest.  I know what I'm going to do for these elements of my project, but I haven't done the actual recording for either part.  After talking about audio and video in class, I definitely feel more comfortable so hopefully within the next few weeks I will be able to tie down those last pieces to my project.

Finally, my next concern is I'm using a source that is new to me for the creation of my website.  It is called Wix.com.  I really like the look of the templates they have available and the site is easy to use.  I'm worried that I may hit a glitch when I need to upload my video and audio.  Sites that allow you to create websites for free are often limited in the the amount of space that is offered.  Worst case scenario, I may end up having to buy the upgrade from the site to allow for more space.  I guess I will find out soon what will happen!

Sharing is Caring (Thing 21)

Slideshare is a great resource that I have never heard about, but I feel like I've been missing out!  I am often on the hunt for good PowerPoint presentations to help teach my student different concepts.  Sometimes, I feel like I search forever without really finding what I'm looking for (making me think it would have just been quicker to make the presentation in the first place).  I love that Slideshare has a million different presentations all in one place.  The search option is really convenient as well.  I was able to find presentations on a lot of the topics I am currently teaching.  I also really like how you can use Slideshare to embed presentations on blogs or on websites.  This is a great feature especially if you're not sure that everyone has a PowerPoint viewer.

I'm sure I will be using Slideshare on a regular basis in my classroom.  It is a great resource for finding presentations on different topics and it will allow me to turn my own presentations into slideshares.  I love that I can use the PowerPoints I've already created and upload them into Slideshare.  Also, I feel really comfortable using PowerPoint so using SlideShare feels like a breeze.

Here is a quick and simple Slideshare I created on the site BeFunky.  You may remember me talking about using BeFunky in a previous blog.

BeFunky!

View more presentations from jenaparish.

Capturing the Moment (Thing 20)

Screencasting can be a very useful tool especially for showing someone how to do something.  The website Jing allows you to create screencast that you can save or share online.  To access Jing, you have to download it from the website.  The program allows you to capture a screen or record a video.  You can choose to include audio or not.  I had a hard time at first figuring it out.  I couldn't seem to get the take right and, without an editing option, that meant I had to start over a few times.  Once I figured it out, I found it to be pretty simple.  It really helped when I wrote down a script with some guidelines that I wanted to cover.

Jing has a lot of room to be used in the classroom.  Screencast could be created for students who need additional support when researching or using computer programs.  Also, screencasts could be created for accessing blogs or using online resources to share with parents at PTA.  This would help to avoid those internet issues that sometimes occur when you try to share something live.  Ultimately, I think it would be amazing to have students creating screencasts to show their understanding.

The only issue that I see occurring is the block that my county has on downloading programs on your classroom computers or laptop.  Right now, Jing is something that I can use on my home computer, but would be a little trickier at work.  I would probably have to go through the steps of getting permission and, then, get tech support to download the program for me.  Overall, the end result would probably be worth it!

Check out the screencast I created about finding images and content that is licensed for reuse:
Creative Commons Screencast

Interactive English/Language Arts Enrichment (For Team Use)

Description: This field experience involved creating and implementing technology-driven English/Language Arts lessons to best prepare students for statewide assessments that were coming up.  The lessons were to be taught over a three week time frame and should implement technology to improve student learning and test scores.  The lessons were created using SmartBoard Notebook software as well as internet tools, resources, websites, and computer games.  Materials were all standards based and available for use by the fourth grade teachers.

Standards: TF-II.A – F (Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experience); TF-III.A – E (Teaching, Learning, and the Curriculum)

Semester: Spring 2011

Hours: 10+ Hours (Ranging from March 2011 to April 2011)

Population: Lessons created for Fourth Grade Teachers and Students

Reflection: Research states that students who are engaged in learning will yield the best results.  As English/Language Arts can be a weaker area for many of our students, I decided to created a series of lessons that would review standards from the year and engage students.  The lessons were planned to be taught over a three week period; therefore, they needed to pack a punch.  I chose to focus on technology as a means to engage the students.  I planned interactive activities using a wide range of strategies and tools.  Students were exposed to different concepts using SmartBoard Files, PowerPoint Presentation, videosharing, BrainPop, and online games.  Since there were many standards to cover, it was important that the students remained focused and engaged.  Overall, the lessons were effective.  To include a technology facilitation element to this field experience, I provided the lessons and materials to all fourth grade teachers.  At team meetings, we discussed using the different resources with students and I answered any questions at that time.

One Stop Shop for Docs (Thing 19)

Apparently Google just does it all.  Search engine, blogs, reader, docs!  The list could go on and on.  This semester is the first time I've used Google Docs before.  My first experience using Google Docs was signing up for a topic for a class assignment.  I had never used Google Docs.  The collaborative element of using Google Docs was different, but really simple!  I really like how there can be several editors and contributors for one document.

After exploring Google Docs for a little bit, I found it pretty simple to use...very similar to Microsoft Word.  There were some features that Word has that Google Docs doesn't.  I found that to be a little frustrating.  I could easily create my document in Word and then upload it to Google Docs if necessary.  Also, I noticed,  when I uploaded some documents into Google Docs, they didn't look exactly the same.

There are several ways that Google Docs could be for classroom learning and professional productivity.  The first thing that came to mind was the team newsletter.  Each week, I create a parent newsletter for the use of the entire grade level.  Sometimes, I have to send out a team e-mail asking for ideas for the newsletters or dates to include.  It would be simple to create the newsletter in GoogleDocs.  Then, invite the rest of the team to contribute to the newsletter.  It would also help with fixing simple typos and errors.

I also like the idea of using Google Docs as a "flash drive on the move."  I recently had a flash drive break that held important documents.  My flash drive still doesn't work, but luckily I had backed up some of the documents on my computer.  Google Docs is a great place to store your documents.  Not only are they easy to access from anywhere, but there is a comfort in knowing that they are in a safe place. 

The form feature of Google Docs could have a lot of great uses.  It would be a great way to survey parents.  You could easily post the link of the form on your blog or school website.  Then, parents could access the form through the link.  It would probably be an easy way to collect parent contact information during Sneak A Peak as well.  I found the form feature to be a little tricky to use, but, if I had a little more time, I think it would be very easy to use.

Google Docs can also be a great way to share resources.  Here is a simple worksheet I created to help my students practice adding and subtracting mixed numbers.  It is pretty basic, but other teachers could find it beneficial.  Other teachers can edit the problems to best meet the needs of their students.
Adding/Subtracting Mixed Numbers Worksheet

When One of Us Gets Smarter, We All Do (Thing 18)

Social networking is definitely a hot item right now.  At this point, most people have either heard about Facebook or are members of Facebook.  Social networking (specifically Facebook) is something that I've used personally for the past five years or so.  Unlike some of the other Web 2.0 tools I've used this semester, I feel like I have a lot of background knowledge in this area.  The difference between my personal use of Facebook and how I'm learning about social networking in this class is that students are involved!  I have made very strict rules for myself on Facebook.  Pictures must be appropriate.  Interaction with coworkers on Facebook remains professional.  Profile remains as private as the settings will allow.  No students and students' parents on my friend list.  I guess you could say that I've made a point to view social networking as strictly a non-school zone.  Well, that is all changing now.

While I still won't use my Facebook profile as a way to communicate with students or parents, I am learning that their are other social networking resources that can be used in the classroom.  I have never used Ning before, and I must admit that I'm disappointed that it costs money (I'm too broke to purchase subscriptions to every new tool I learn about).  Ning allows anyone to create a social networking space.  I got the opportunity to view and join a social network that was created on Ning.  It is called Classroom 2.0 and I think I'm hooked already.

Classroom 2.0 is a social network specifically for teachers who are interested in technology and using Web 2.0 tools.  I have never used social networking in a professional capacity, but I think I'm going to find it very useful.  There are several features that I like about Classroom 2.0.  There are a lot of discussion forums.  Member can post and respond to questions.  As I scrolled through the site, I found several discussions that I was interested in.  I also like the groups feature on the site.  This will help me zone and find other teachers that may have similiar interests, ideas, or needs as myself.  Really, the site is a lot like Facebook, but it focuses in on educational practices.

I like the idea that social networking does not have just for general use (like Facebook, but instead can hone in on the interests of a specific group of people.  I really liked this quote from the reading I did today for my class: "Network learning is based on the belief that when one of us gets smarter, we all do." I really think that sums up the importance of social networking.  It is a great way to learn from one another and collaborate!

The Importance of Video Sharing (Thing 17)

YouTube has opened everybody up to a whole new world.  From hilarious viral videos to learning how to do something step-by-step, YouTube has a little something for everybody.  The most frustrating thing about YouTube is that it is blocked by most school systems.  Unfortunately, there is a lot of bad that can come with the good.  I have found that using sites like Zamzar can keep this from being a huge issue.  Also, there are sites out there like TeacherTube and SchoolTube.  I feel much more comfortable using these sites with my students.  I love to encorporate music and song into my lessons. 

My students seem to really respond to that so I often go on videosharing sites to see if there is a song or rap that can be used to teach a specific concept.  Often times, those videos have been previously created by students and then posted to the videosharing site.  It is great for my students to see videos produced by other students, and to use those videos for learning.  I have found one particular video that my students love!  It is about the order of operations.  For some background information, the creator of the video/song is a middle school teacher who also sells music to teach math concepts.  The video is available on TeacherTube, but you can also view it below:

Podcasting Scares Me... (Thing 15)

Well, it did scare me until I got the opportunity to really check it out.  I read about podcasting in my class text and I was thoroughly overwhelmed!  There seemed to be a lot of steps and a lot of things mentioned that I didn't know about, but I think that was just my initial reaction.

After getting on iTunes, determined to calm my fears and get some understanding, I'm feeling a lot better.  I guess I should be a little embarrassed that I'm in graduate school getting an Instructional TECHNOLOGY degree and I have never listened to a podcast before.  I don't know why I haven't.  I use iTunes.  I always saw the section about podcasts, but I never took my own initiative to take it any further than that.  Thank goodness I was forced to check out podcasting for class, or I may have never learned about it!

First things first, there are A LOT of podcasts out there!  On a personal level, I can easily find podcasts to listen to (I'm an entertainment news junkie), but, on a professional level, I found it a little harder to find something meaningful.  Definitely not impossible, just a little more difficult.  I found the Education Podcast Network to be really helpful in finding podcasts that related specifically to my field or the subject I wanted to focus on.  You will not believe the excitement I had when I found a podcast that focuses on Teaching with SmartBoard.  I have a SmartBoard in my classroom and I am always looking for ways to extend my knowledge in that area.  You can find the podcast here: Teaching with Smartboard.  I also followed the NPR News Education Podcast.  I thought that would just be a great way to stay on top of education news in general.  Overall, finding podcasts on iTunes was really simple to do.  I'm already an iTunes user so I felt comfortable with it.  I'm looking forward to seeing my podcasts on my iPhone the next time I sync up.

Now that I've taken a little time to figure it all out, I'm not so scared.  I feel like I get it!  Podcasting is a little bit like my DVR.  It allows me to listen to what I want to, when I want to.

Delicious! (Thing 14)

Delicious is a great bookmarking tool that has been around.  It is something I always knew about, but I never took the time to actually sign up and start using it.  Well, I finally took the opportunity to get set up and I'm glad I did!  Delicious is great for a few reasons:

1) It puts all your favorite links and URLs in one safe place
2) You can access your Delicious account from any computer
3) You don't have to worry about losing your favorites if your computer crashes or is reimaged
4) It has a lot of features so you can find what other people are bookmarking for a particular topic

I didn't realize that Delicious is actually social bookmarking.  I always just thought of it as a place to store all of the links to the sites I regularly use.  It didn't occur to me how useful it could be to search what others are bookmarking.  I really like the tagging aspect of Delicious.  My lists of favorites on my Internet Explorer can be overwhelming.  Half of the links are put in folders when I started to organize, but the rest are just in a long list that has no rhyme or reason.  Tagging makes organization simple.  You can view everything you bookmarked at once or you can choose a tag and narrow things down.

From an educator's standpoint, Delicious is a great way to keep your life a little more organized.  There are so many great resources that I find online, but there is no way I could keep up with all of them on my own.  Delicious allows me to have a one-stop shop to put all the URLs I use in, and it's great for personal and professional use!'

Check out my Delicious links: http://www.delicious.com/jenaparish

Multimedia Design Project

For my Multimedia Design Project, I am focusing on a fourth grade social studies standard.  The standard focuses on the main ideas of the abolitionist and suffrage movements.  Specifically, I want the students to choose one of the following historical figures to research: Harriet Tubman, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, or Sojourner Truth.  The storyline is as follows:


"An American Hero tragedy has occurred. The National Museum of American History has been robbed!  The diaries and belongings of three key American figures have gone missing: Harriet Tubman, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Sojourner Truth.  These artifacts were very old and it isn’t believed that the diaries will be recovered.  How will the American people ever get the opportunity to truly know these significant figures from our history?"


I plan on introducing the storyline to the students through a newscast style video (as if the story was being presented on the evening news).  Ultimately, my students will complete the following task: creating a replica diary and an artifact that represents one of the historical figures to "donate" to the National Museum of American History.  Students will complete their own research using the links and information provided in the WebQuest.  For the final presentation, students will complete a museum walk through to showcase their work.


Overall, I am excited about the premise of my project.  I think my students will enjoy learning these social studies standards this way.  I chose to focus on social studies because it is generally the weakest area across all grade levels.  My biggest concerns right now are including the media in my WebQuest.  I have very basic knowledge about video editing and audio editing.  I really want my project to run smoothly as I'm hoping this is a WebQuest I can use in my classroom for years to come (as long as the information and standards are still relevant of course).


I'm sure questions and confusion will come along the way, but, right now, I feel pretty good about my pre-plan and where things are headed.

Exploring New Things (Thing Twelve)

As I started exploring some new tools that I haven't used before, I was drawn to Be Funky.  I'll be honest...I thought the name sounded interesting.  This website is great for photo editing.  It has an endless amount of photo editing features.  These features go beyond the basic cropping and changing your picture into black and white.  You can add frames, text, and graphics to an uploaded picture.  There are also different effects that you can choose from.  The site is incredibly easy to use.  I don't think it could be any easier.  The most challenging thing about this website is you could spend hours just clicking on the different features and effects to change your picture.  This is definitely something I will use on a regular basis for my personal use.  For classroom use, the students would enjoy using this site.  They would probably have a lot of fun editing pictures especially since many of my young students may not have ever done this before.  The most monitoring that would be required is making sure that students have uploaded an appropriate picture.  As long as the original picture was appropriate, they probably could freely use the features of the site without worrying about them running into trouble.  I think the students could show me their understanding of a topic by using the text feature of the site.  I could upload a picture that reflects a standard and they could label the picture with the appropriate text.  Also, I like the imaginative and creative element of this site.  Students don't get to tap into their creative sides very often so I think this site could remedy that.  Overall, I think this is a really fun website!  Check out my before and after picture below of my beloved dog Jules that I edited using Be Funky.

Before:

After:



After I had explored Be Funky, I decided to check out another website based on a recommendation.  I went to Glogster EDU.  This is something that students could really take ownership of and show their understanding.  Glogster is a site that allows you to create digital posters.  Above and beyond that, there are many great social features to the website.  Tags can be added to your glog and your glog can placed into a subject category that allows others to view your digital poster.  Glogs can be shared digitally or they can be printed.  Glogster would have a lot of uses in the classroom (for productivity and for students).  As a teacher, I could create a plethora of posters that I could use in my classroom or on my classroom blogs.  They could be content-related or related to the rituals and routines of my classroom.  Also, students can create posters using the site.  This site isn't quite as user-friendly as Be Funky, but it is still easy to use.  Again, this site would allow students to be creative.  It could really take the old "poster report project" to the next level.

iRespond Training

Description: This field experience consisted of attended two iRespond training sessions.  The trainings consisted of ways to use iRespond in the classroom and for productivity.  This field experience allowed me to further implement iRespond in the classroom and with students as well as help my colleagues and coworkers through their iRespond questions.

Standards: TF-I.A, TF-I.B (Technology Operations and Concepts), TF-V.A-C (Productivity and Professional Practice)

Semester: Spring 2011

Hours: 2 Hours (February 17 and February 24)

Population:  Elementary School Teachers (General and Special Ed.)

Reflection:  This field experience allowed me to gain deeper understanding in using iRespond Response Systems.  This is important because I can implement the use of iRespond in my classroom with my students and help my coworkers develop a deeper understanding as well.  Professional learning opportunities allow me to grow stronger as a technology facilitator and leader in my school as they give me an opportunity to teach others what I have learned.  Also, they are allowing me to become an expert in the field I plan I getting in to.

The Finished Product...Sort Of (Thing Eleven)

So I talked a little bit about pulling photos from Flickr to teach my students about solid figures.  Here is the slide show that I created representing those pictures:

The slide show shows a real world photo of each type of solid figure that I have to teach students about in fourth grade.  I think using the real photos takes the standards outside of the classroom and shows them how they will apply the knowledge. As we are going through the slide show, I could talk with my students about the characteristics of each figure to introduce them to the concepts.  I could also use a slide show to assess my student's understanding of each figure (I would take away the captions for that).

I used the website http://www.slide.com/ to create my slideshow, and I have learned that I definitely need more experience using the site.  I was a little frustrated that I couldn't get the end product that I was thinking of in my head (hence the "sort of" in the title of this post).  With a little time and practice, I'm sure I will be a pro in no time.

Photo Credits:

Cylinder http://www.flickr.com/photos/fordsbasement/4581447234/sizes/l/in/photostream/

By fordsbasement

Cube http://www.flickr.com/photos/saturnino/2741287457/sizes/l/in/photostream/

By sekundo

Sphere http://www.flickr.com/photos/researchgirl/4961459251/sizes/l/in/photostream/

By researchgirl

Cone http://www.flickr.com/photos/peter_curb/3130893505/sizes/l/in/photostream/

By Peter Curbishley

Pyramid http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaybergesen/3335698859/sizes/l/in/photostream/

By jaybergesen

Triangular Prism http://www.flickr.com/photos/the-travelling-bum/5334394660/sizes/l/in/photostream/

By The Travelling Bum

Rectangular Prism http://www.flickr.com/photos/brenda-starr/3466702375/sizes/o/in/photostream/

By ~Brenda-Starr~

Fascinating Flickr (Thing Ten)

Wow!  Who knew that Flickr, the online photo storing website, could be so useful in education!  I have only used Flickr to view family or friends' photos.  I have never thought of its uses in the classroom.  After learning about Creative Commons, it will definitely be a site that I use more to pull photos from.

As I started to explore Flickr, I wanted to find pictures that would directly relate to a fourth grade standard.  In a few weeks, I will be teaching my students about solid figures (cubes, pyramids, spheres, etc...).  I would love to find a real world tie-in to teaching my students all the characteristics (aka boring information) about the figures.  I got the brilliant idea to pull photos from Flickr that represented each of the types of solid figures using pictures taken in the real world.  I can use the photos as an introduction to solid figures or I can use the photos at the end of the unit as an assessment.  As you can see above, I found a great photo to represent the figure sphere.

As David Jakes says, "Being visually literate is just as important as reading and writing and should be considered a fundamental literacy of a 21st Century education." (See his wiki at Visual Literacy and 21st Century Skills) There are so many uses for Flickr in the classroom.  Ultimately, I could pull pictures of each type of quadrilateral so my students could review these characteristics.  I also think Flickr could be used in many of the language arts areas.  Prompt writing, looking at synonym or homophones, and using adjectives are all ways that Flickr could become meaningful in the classroom.  Flickr is also great for looking at history and geography.  Really the possibilities are endless, and I'm glad that I have learned a little more about using Flickr!

Photo Credit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/researchgirl/4961459251/sizes/l/in/photostream/ (By researchgirl)

Some Rights Reserved (Thing Nine)

Creative Commons:  Something that I have never even heard of....until today. 

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I really didn't know all that much about Copyright until today either.  I know a little about the Copyright Act and I feel like I know the basics (especially about the legal uses as a teacher).  Mostly, I know that if I'm not following the rules set up by the Copyright Act then I am breaking the law.  Let's be honest though, in the moment of making copies, creating a powerpoint, or using internet media, not many people care all that much about the rules of Copyright.  I think the problem is that wording of the Copyright Act and Fair Use Guidelines can be confusing and people don't want to take the time to really understand it.  Not to mention, as a teacher, rules and laws can get in the way of the materials that you really need to teach your students!

I definitely didn't know that the instant something is created it might as well be stamped with that little "c" in the circle...pretty much everything has a copyright. I know that little "c" indicates all rights reserved, which really disables anyone else to use or modify the work.  That is great if you want to reserve all rights, but sometimes an author or artist wants a little flexibility and may not mind if eithers use or modify their work.  That is where Creative Commons come into place.

I have never noticed Creative Commons (indicated by a "cc" in a circle) on a website before.  I've also never looked for it before either!  It is definitely something I will keep my eyes out for.

I have been working on writing research reports with my students, and, just last week, I taught a lesson about researching using the internet.  My students are pretty young so it can be hard to get the point across that work or media online is really only for us to read or look at.  We cannot "borrow or steal" someone else's work.  While that is true in most cases, Creative Commons allows for a little more flexibility.

As a teacher, I find myself using media from the internet all the time.  I usually don't think twice about it, but I probably should be more careful in the future.  I wouldn't want someone else use my work without my permission!  Now that I know more about Creative Commons (and how to use the Creative Commons search engine), I will be more likely to use clip art and media that is completely legal to use.  I really like the feature of the search engine that allows me to use Google Images and Flickr to find media that is legal to use.

Overall, I think Creative Commons is something important for educators to know and understand.  It not only reminds me of the importance of following Copyright laws, but is also allows me to use some resources and media that I find online.

DeCODING the Web

HTML code can be confusing, but for some reason I like it!  I probably won't take up the task of creating a website or my portfolio from scratch using HTML code, but I do like understanding "behind the scenes". 

I first learned HTML code in high school.  I took a web page design class so I have a little (teeny, tiny miniscule amount) background in web page design.  Then, the big MySpace craze started and I got a little practice using HTML code in creating a profile for the site.  Now, I'm getting the opportunity to jump back into using "The Code" while I'm getting my master's degree. 

I think it is really beneficial to understand the basics of HTML code.  It can help you fix small glitches while creating a web page.  Also, I think it makes me well-arounded as a future instructional technology leader.  Honestly, anyone can use a template or a pre-designed plan, but understanding HTML code gives me a little bit of an edge.

In the next few weeks, I need to begin looking at how I'm going to set up my online portfolio that will ultimately be one of the final elements I need to graduate.  I'm a little overwhelmed with the task.  I've never really created a website before.  The most extensive thing I've done is blogging, and this project will definitely take more than that.  I do know one thing: I'm not planning on creating the site from scratch using HTML code.  That would be really overwhelming.  I will probably use a free site like SeaMonkey or GoogleSites.  Listen out for more information about what steps I take next in creating my portfolio in the near future.

Wiki Wiki (Thing Seven)

Wikis are one of the Web 2.0 tools that I really know the least about.  I totally get Wikipedia and how it works, but I have never ventured out to create my own wiki or use wikis in the classroom.  I've heard colleagues and classmates of mine talk about how they used wikis in their classroom so I've known it was possible.  I took the time to research and investigate educational wikis today and I found out a lot of interesting information. 

Overall, I really like the idea of creating a wiki as a comprehensive tool that all students collaborate on.  The Let's Go West wiki really required a lot of collaboration to create an end project that all the students could use to learn from (as well as anyone else who visits the wiki).  I like the idea of breaking down one big subject into smaller parts and having my students responsible for researching and developing an article on each of these parts.  Finally, the students post all of their articles to our wiki, and, voila, a great resource is born.  I teach intermediate level students so I think that this could easily be accomplished within my classroom.  It could definitely meet social studies or science standards (depending on the topic we choose) and it would be a great authentic task to teach informational writing standards.  I think the students would be motivated to partipate knowing that other people would be viewing our work.  In older grades, I can see where a wiki of this nature would become a wonderful study guide for the students to use.  How amazing is it that the study guide for a course or a semester could be created by the students?  The Math 12V Outcomes Portfolio really represents this idea. 

I've always viewed wikis as what I see on the Let's Go West and Math 12V Outcomes Portfolio pages, but I got exposed to a few other ideas as well.  In the Codeblue wiki, the page opens with a list of links that could be useful to reference.  Next week, I am teaching my students how to research for an informational report.  We go in to several lessons about using online sources.  It would be a great assessment to have my students create a wiki page of linked sources they used; therefore, I can see if my students are using the appropriate sites for their research and all the students could refer to the page to help them with their reports.  I also liked how the Codeblue wiki has students collaborating with medical professionals.  It is a great idea to get field experts involved with a classroom wiki, and it will probably take the students' learning to a higher level.

Finally, I thought about ways to introduce a wiki and using wikis to my students without "scaring" them away from the idea.  Wikis don't have to just be about researching informational topics.  I really enjoyed the Kindergarten Counting Book.  What a great way to get younger students involved in a wiki!  The page consists of numbers and photographs and a minimal amount of words so I think my students would find it interesting.  Also, I plan on showing my students The Thousands Project as well.  I think this wiki really shows how global wikis can be.  A wiki can be a great source of collaboration outside of the classroom as much as inside in the classroom!

I am beginning to develop my own ideas of how I will use a wiki in my classroom with my students.  I definitely feel motivated to begin using wikis.  I think my students will enjoy it and it is a great way to get my students collaborating with each other.

RSS = Really Simple AND Really Smart! (Thing Five)

I love love love Google Reader!  There are so many amazing things about it.  I keep up with my RSS feed on my phone so it is convenient.  Not too mention, it keeps me informed...really informed.  I can follow a wide variety of blogs and newsfeeds.  In one place, so many of my interests are met ranging from education news to instructional technology news to friends' blogs to entertainment gossip.  If you don't know about using an RSS feed, I highly recommend you get informed!  I promise you will love it too!

As I was looking through my Google Reader this weekend, I found quite of few interesting articles and blogs.

An interesting post about creating 3-D pop-up story books online stood out to me.  I currently plan writing for the fourth grade team at the school that I work at.  I'm always looking for new ways to engage my students in writing.  The website is called ZooBurst.  It allows teachers or students to publish stories online.  The original blog post gave me a little information about the site and some positives and negatives.  ZooBurst definitely looks like something I will check out in the future.  Here is the link to the blog post:
http://blogs.learnnc.org/instructify/2011/02/04/zooburst-3d-popup-books-elementary/.

Hope you get a chance to check it out!

P.S. I found another interesting article that really caught my eye about teachers, students, and Facebook.  Take a look at it here: http://www.techlearning.com/blogs/36512.  Let me know your thoughts if you get a chance to check it out.

Students Can Blog Too! (Thing Four)

Student blogging is definitely something that is being done more and more in classrooms.  This type of blogging allows for the student to take the driver's seat and develop their own blog post.  The most meaningful part of this task comes when students and teachers can comment on the post allowing for reflection for the writer and the audience.  When meaningful conversations and discussions through the blog writing start to take place, a higher level of learning is going to take place.


As I reflect on student blogging, there are a lot of thoughts that enter my mind.  Student blogging can initially be overwhelming as there are many important aspects that need to be considered to ensure a safe and successful blogging experience.  I teach elementary aged students; therefore, many of my students may not be familiar with blogs and their purpose.  Before beginning a blogging assignment, it would be important for me to expose my students to different types of blogs and discuss their purpose.  Also, I would need to take the time to teach my students the appropriate blogging ettiquette.  At a young age, many students do not know proper internet "manners."  After tackling these initial issues, my students would need to be taught what makes blogging meaningful.  Students may not understand the relevance of blogging and the importance of the collaboration that blogging requires.  My students would probably need some experience firsthand to really understand.


As a teacher, I have to think about the assessment part of blogging.  How can evaluate my students in a meaningful way without changing the context of the blogging and making it just about receiving grades?

Take a look at the rubric that I came up with:

Blog Posts By Students:
      Unacceptable:  Posting does not show understanding.  It lacks creativity and style.
      Acceptable:  Posting is reflective and insightful.  It shows the writer's understanding, but may lack creativity and style.
      Target:  Posting is reflective, insightful, and creative.  It shows the writer's understanding and style.


Comments or Responses That Students Leave on Other Blogs:
      Unacceptable:  Comments lack opinions and/or respect.  There is little or no value added to the original post.
      Acceptable:  Comments include opinions, but may not be respectful.  They may provide some value to the original post.
      Target:  Comments include opinionates, but they remain respectful.  They provide a meaningful addition to the original post.


In my classroom, student blogging would probably begin as a slow process.  Students would need a simple and to-the-point rubric to truly understand their task in the beginning.  As students become more proficient in blogging, different elements and components can be added to the rubric to further the meaningful discussion.

The following websites are great resources for evaluating student blogging.  I would highly recommend them to anyone, but especially a beginner at blogging in the classroom.

A+ Rubric - A Rubric for Evaluating Student Blogs

This rubric is a great resource with a variety of components about student blogging.

Kathy Shrock's Guide for Educators - Assessment and Rubric Information

This webpage is truly a shrine for all things rubric related.  Check out the section on Web 2.0 rubrics to find a blog-specific rubric.

Happy blogging (and evaluating)!

Blogging is More Than Writing (Thing Three)

As I got the opportunity to review several different blogs today (on a variety of subjects), a few things stood out.
Blog writing is truly ongoing.  It may be the one form of writing where the audience actually gets to show their importance right there.  In a good blog, the original post is only the beginning.  The true blogging takes place when commenting begins and allows for the audience to be interactive with the author.  It takes reading to another level, because the audience truly gets the opportunity to give feedback with hopes of a response from the author.

When I'm reading a blog, I take a different stance than I do when I'm reading a book or a magazine.  In a way, I am critiquing the writing, but I'm not looking for mistakes or errors.  I'm looking for ways that I connect to the author and ideas that I can offer back to lend to the discussion.  While I enjoy the opportunity to curl up with a good book strictly for the enjoyment of reading, reading blogs allows me to not only enjoy someone else's thoughts and ideas, but it also allows me to share my own thoughts and ideas.

 In my opinion, the most interesting blogs seemed to be written as a narrative.  Whether the writer was sharing something that had happened in a professional or personal capacity or giving opinions on an idea, the writing should flow in the same way that a good story would.  That is an aspect of blogging that I really enjoy.  I will be first to admit that, when it comes to reading, I prefer fiction over nonfiction, but I find nonfiction writing to be very interesting as long as it has personality and "flavor."  Blogging allows a writer to add their own personality because the writer is really showing ownership over the ideas.

I definitely think there is a "blogging literacy" developing.  To truly comprehend the text and information in a blog, the reader must understand that blogging is about collaboration and interaction.  It's also about really meeting the needs of your audience and providing writing material that will provoke interesting and engaging discussion in your audience.  While blogging for the sake of writing your ideas down is a great start, it is more important to develop a collaboration with an audience that can take your thoughts and ideas to the next level.

Looking deeper into blogs today has challenged me to think about my own blog writing, personally and professionally.  In the future, I am definitely going to work on taking my blog writing to the next level.

Divine Design

So, as I look back to my first class in my Multimedia and Web Design course, I think back to the conversations we had about design and its importance.  My prediction is that the conversations about design and development are going to lead to the foundations of my understanding about web design.  As a web design beginner, looking and analyzing the different parts of design gave me a moment of clarity.  All things education related, including creating web and multimedia, must start with a plan.  We focused on ADDIE, which is a format for designing instructional materials.  It stands for Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation.  The process is very similar to the steps a teacher might take for lesson planning.  Ultimately, don't all things have to start with the design and development to truly get a deep understanding of the content.  Hmm...maybe that statement is a generalization, but it's something to think about.

As a future educational technology leader (at least that is the plan), I think it is important to have knowledge in the basic foundation of design and development.  The "techie" in me thinks that all educational technology leaders need to have a firm grasp of design and development before they can venture on to help other educators best serve their student or classroom needs.  I will have to be able to answer the technology as well as the instructional questions one day so it is important that I have a depth of knowledge in all of those areas.  It makes me think about the T-PACK model (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge).  I need strength and balance in all of these areas to be the best educator possible.

So, at this time, I truly believe the crystal ball is saying that multimedia and web design are going to be key elements in my development as an educational technology leader. 

Web 2.0 and its Role in 21st Century Teaching - Shift Happens! (Thing One)

Reflecting on everything I have learned about Web 2.0 already, there is one big overlying message: Students today are very different from the students 10 or 15 years ago.  They are "digital learners."  Students are surrounded with Internet Tools in their personal lives: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter.  The list could go on and on.  This is how students function and thrive at home; therefore, to best meet the needs of our students, these tools should be promoted and actively used within the classroom.  As teachers, we make the realization that some students learn better by listening while others need to truly see something to gain understanding.  We are willing to accomodate the different learning styles in our classrooms.  It is time that we considered that many students need to be accomodated by encorporating technology use, more specifically Web 2.0 tools, in our classroom.

It is probably pretty standard that many teachers have created a blog for their classroom.  Most blogs include homework assignments, important news, or upcoming events.  While this is an amazing form of communication and very commendable, it is important to note that good technology use is more than just the use of a blog to communicate to parents.  The real learning will take place when students are given the opportunity to learn, share and connect with others while using Internet Tools.  Students also need the opportunity to be put in the "driver's seat."  Students can be the publishers too!

In the article "A Day in the Life of Web 2.0" by David Warlick, a school shows how they effectively implement Web 2.0 tools to provide a connection from the students all the way to the superintendents to the local community.  The information in the article is quite inspiring as you see how this school has created so many lines of communication within and outside of the school building.  Ultimately, that is the purpose of Web 2.0 tools - to provide a connection and allow us to learn from those connections. 

As I become more versed in Web 2.0 tools and their place in the classroom, I definitely feel more motivated to bring these tools to my students.  First and foremost, I really want to engage my students and provide authentic opportunities that allow the students to have ownership in their education.  While that sounds like an obvious goal for every teacher, it can be very challenging to engage students while focusing on the state required standards that have to be taught.  But it is definitely a challenge that needs to be taken on and I think that using Internet Tools is a great way to engage learners.