Reactions to Chapter 9

Big Shift #4: Teaching is conversation, not lecture.

This is by far one of the most true statements of the entire book. All of the technologies presented in the book require collaboration and conversation, active learning and participation, not lecture. Whenever I plan lessons, I make sure it appeals to at least two, if not all three, different learning styles. Lecture appeals to ONE learning style. I believe the most ineffective teachers are those who do all the talking....because he or she is also doing all the listenening.

Big Shift #9: Mastery is the Product

What I like most about these technologies is that they do not require the standard pencil and paper, scantron, and key. These technologies require students to show their mastery of skills in an authentic, practical way that allows students to apply their knowledge for real audiences.

I'm excited that my teaching skills have widened through knowledge of new technologies, but also very timid. OK, what happens when I have mastered these skills? What next? What will the next Big Shifts be?

Reactions to Chapter 6

Publish
Share
Connect
Create

These are very powerful words in a classroom, even more powerful in an intesified Language Arts writing curriculum. Discussion is at the heart of reading and writing, and learning is only achieved through continuous conversation among peers. Some questions, reactions, comments, and responses to this chapter, "The Social Web", are as follows:

1. Twitter is WAY too stalkerish. I don't see how this "micro-blogging" tool could be appropriate for student use in an education setting. I heard Krista wrote a memo to her administrator about the benefits of using this tool in the classroom. I plan on reading it as soon as I have finished all requirements for this, my LAST, course as a graduate student.

2. What will happen to the librarian profession? Will new technologies and tools like RSS, Diigo, Delicious, etc. eliminate the profession all together? Will it be modified? Will librarians become "technologians"?

3. I LOVE Diigo. Until now, I have used the "My Favorites" tags to bookmark favorite websites on the Internet. I will use Diigo now because I like that is allows you to provide information about the bookmarked site, make comments, and write notes.

4. Before I incorporate any of the technologies learned in this book and throughout this course, I MUST attend a professional development training on how to teach safety on the Internet and set appropriate/ethical student web behavior.

Reactions to Chapter 8

After reading most of Richardson's book "Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts" and experiencing "new" (to me) technology firsthand, I don't see how people who subscribe to these technologies ever have time for anything not located on the computer. Who has time for all this stuff? If I were to contribute to wikipedia and make sure everyone who edited or added on to information I wrote, if I signed up for several different RSS feeds related to my interests, if I posted blogs consistently and read my followerers comments regularly, if I listened to podcasts and created movies through MovieMaker, if I uploaded pictures to Flickr, and tracked my friends through Twitter, if I...., if I...., if I...., then I, would have no life.

I'm fearful that one day my job will be overtaken by these new killer app's and technologies.

But, for right now, my job is secure, and I am very interested in the iPod lesson plans on apple.com. I love my touch iPod and think incorporating it in my classroom would be engaging and motivating to and for students.

Reactions to Chapter 4

"everyone together is smarter than anyone alone" when engaging in "the purposeful work of negotiating and creating truth". Richardson, page 57.

As a new teacher, collaboration with my team members is essential for two reasons. One, I do not know all the skills, strategies, tools, routines, etc. that are efficient and effective when teaching middle school aged students. I benefit from collaborating with colleagues because the unknown becomes known. Second, if I expect my students to collaborate with their peers, I must be willing to do so myself.

Students, especially in a discussion-centered Language Arts class, benefit from hearing and reading the insights, thoughts, and opinions of his or her classmates. I can incorporate wikis in my classroom through a variety of activities- writing projects (research articles and editorial writing), notes-from-class, and book reports. These activties that incorporate wikis can be collaborative- students working in small groups- or individual.

The only way for wikis to work in the classroom is if students have accountability. Teachers must make sure they set guidelines, procedures, and rules. For example, when assigning the project, also set a date of when the contribution must be made. Set a minimum length for each student's contribution. Participation of students must be tracked, or else, some students will not contribute, leaving other students to do all the work.

Interesting edit to the serenity prayer on page 69.

Reactions to Chapters 3, 5, and 7

1. During student teaching last semester, I frequently gave students a journal prompt as a sponge activity at the beginning of class. An example of one of my journal prompt topics would be something like, "what do you think this world need more of, what do you think it needs less of" or "what would you change about yourself and why". Students would be given 10 minutes to write about the assigned topic. While they were writing, I would walk around the classroom and monitor. Chapter 3 gave me several new ideas to improve my teaching pedagogy. First, students should journal in the form of a weblog (blogging), because their writing would be for real purpose and to a real audience. We do not have time to share everyones journals everyday (an upsetting fact for most students), and if they blogged their writing, then students could read and comment on people's journals before and after class. Second, Will Richardson affirmed that if "we want our students to learn... we have to experience that learning firsthand". While proximity and classroom maintenance is a priority, I believe I, too, must blog. By blogging with students, I encourage a sense of classroom community not only amongst students but also between student and teacher, and ensure appropriateness and value in the activity given. Third, I like using blogs as a way of assigning and collecting homework. For example, students can be given an assignment to answer a question pertaining to that weeks discussion via weblog. I can show anonymous student work to jump start discussion the next day. Fourth, if students blogged in my classroom, I would make sure that they only posted classroom assigned blogs. I would want them to personalize their profiles, but not posts blogs irrelevant to calssroom instruction as I want all our blogs to be focused on classroom work. However, I will assign activities that allow them to choose and create. For example, a journal topic one day could be "free write". Fifth, feedback from teachers and parents was my single most influential motivation for achieving good grades in middle school, high school, and college. Therefore, I vow to comment on all my student's blogs on a weekly basis.
2. Incorporating technology in the classroom requires MUCH pre-planning. There are so many ways for teachers to fail considerably by using technology; therefore, they must plan accordinlgy. Set student expectations and ENFORCE them. Advise parents, staff, and administration how weblogging will be conducted in your classroom. Set appropriate personnel permissions.
3. The sacriest part about using technology in the classroom is safety. I'm worried that child stalkers and pedofiles on the Internet will learn too much about my students. When I create student weblogs, is there any way to set privacy restrictions so that not everyone can read their blogs, only people I personally select or give access?
4. Honestly, I have never heard of RSS till last week. But, now, I can't imagine living without it. The goal of RSS is to make teachers' lives less stressfull and less bogged down. I love it already! I will use RSS predominately as a research tool and a grade checker tool (to receive feeds that students posted new weblogs daily and weekly). Richardson commented in chapter 5 that it is a technology that will "change your life", but I believe all technologies I have learned thus far, in this course, have changed my life, more specifically my education skills and strategies toolbox, for the better.
5. Flickr reminds me so much of of Facebook. Both programs upload photos quickly, freely, and easily. Both allow the administrator to "tag" photos. And, both allow viewers to comment on the photos. I believe many students will feel comfortable using this tool because of its stark resemblance to facebook.

Choose Your Tool

Attention: Steve F.
Re: Trailfire in the 6th grade Language Arts classroom

Steve,
Students are researching digitally. Less and less go to the libraries and dust off books to find information. More and more simply log on and bowse the Internet. Because most students reasearch via Internet, it is our job, as teachers, to provide a safe way of conducting Internet research in the classroom. Trailfire is the answer.

Trailfire is a teacher made, webquest-like browser that allows students to search for information in a safe, confined, and precise way. For a given subject or topic the teacher wants to teach, he or she can make a trail of web pages for students to follow. The teacher will first find information on several different websites about the topic he or she will teach, then link these websites to Trailfire (through guides), and finally, make comments or ask questions to students on each webpage, called "marking". The pages are linked together, with comments, in a sequential path developed by the teacher for easy use by the students.

Trailfire is a tool that should be used in every classroom. Trailfire provides a safe and easy way for students to research information on the web. Trailfire makes learning authentic, interactive, and personal. The student constructs his or her own new knowledge about a subject or topic by following the trails, reading the teacher's comments, and answering the provided questions on each marked page. Teachers can make sure students stay on task during the instructional period because all they have to do is look at the computer monitor to see whether or not the student is on the "trail" as each web page shows a sticky note with markings by the teacher. Trailfire is safe because it eliminates disorganized and cluttered searching and browsing.

I believe Trailfire is a tool that can be effectively and efficiently implemented in all grade levels and for all content areas. If you would like to learn more about Trailfire, please contact me. I would be more than happy to administer a PD, training, or information session on the use of Trailfire in the classroom.

Sincerely,
Jackie

Reactions to Chapters 1 and 2

• The purpose of technology is to "make a collaborative medium, a place where we [could] all meet and read and write". Before taking this class, I nievely thought that that Language Arts had not as much need for technology integration as a science and math class. But now, I believe technologies are "obvious tools for teaching writing and reading" and must be incorporated in classroom (weblogs).
• During student teaching, my students came into class and immediately began working on their "sponge" activity, which was a journal entry to a specific topic or a grammar exercise. At my new school next year, I can implement blogging instead of journaling when completing sponge activities. Through blogging, students can read and respond to other students' insights and thoughts, creating an authentic, collaborative community in my classroom.
• Technology is replacing paper and pencil. I do not subscribe to the Courier Journal, but read articles online everyday by visiting courier-journal.com. It's not that I am too cheap to pay for the paper version newspaper, instead, I enjoy reading articles online and then reading readers comments to the article in the blog section at the end of the webpage. For example, during basketball season, right after a game, I will get online and read the article summarizing game action. Although I have watched the game, I like to get online and read readers comments and reactions to the game and information presented in the article. It's like I am having a conversation with Louisville fans online. This is the type of community I want to create in my classroom. After we read a piece of literature or reading, I want students to reflect and react on a blog, and have other students respond to their comments.
• FACEBOOK. Should teachers have one? It seems facebook creates several problems in the professional community. But, it is a technology that creates the collaborative atmosphere I will strive to enstill in my classroom. Should teachers be friends with students or former students on facebook? Why or why not. I say, no they should not be friends with students and former students, for several reasons, but would love to read comments by my EDTP 504 class why teachers SHOULD be friends with students on facebook.

Digital Story Rough Draft

My digital story will have a personal theme and be about the absolutely BEST part of my life: the UNUSUAL vacations I go on with my family- all 32 of us, camping in the most unique and odd places.

Pictures:
New York City
Niagra Falls
Rocky Mountain National Park/ Estes Park, Colorado
Yellowstone National Park
Barren River Lake
Washington DC
Mackinaw Island, MI
Gulf Shores, Alabama
Road Trip (long hours in a car)
Trailers, cabins, and tents
Camp fires
Cornhole
Smores
Jetskiing/Boating/Skiing/Tubing

Contrast:
London
Solo
Plane

Ending:
Looking ahead to this year- Lake George, New York

Reflections on "Student as Contributor" article

I read Alan November's article, "Student as Contributor: The Digital Learning Farm" and have compiled a list of insights and questions in regards to the material and ideas presented:

1) The value of hard work and teamwork is lost in many of today's youth, and it is the job of teachers to enstil responsibility and accountability in our students.

2) Whenever I assign group work, I give each student a "role" or "job" to fulfill. November suggests assigning roles and jobs should not only occur in small groups, but also during daily, whole class instruction.

3) Giving students roles encourages responsibility, accountability, and teamwork.

4) Authenticity in instruction, though assigned roles and use of technology, increases engagement, interest, and motivation.

5) The role I particulary enjoyed reading about and would like to administer in my classroom:

"Scribe of the Day"- as a self-proclaimed exemplarary notetaker, I have learned that not ALL students have the same note-taking passion as I had in Middle School. Therefore, I believe it is wise that a different student take notes each day and post to the class WIKI. On the class WIKI, students can read the set of classroom notes when preparing for a test/project/assignment, add notes, or discuss important topics/themes with other classmates in a blog format. Also, using one student as designated notetaker during instruction increases participation amongst students as they will be less worried about putting thoughts and ideas on paper and more willing to engage in discussion.

6) While I look forward to using a variety of technologies in my classroom, some ideas in this article seemed unlikely to administer based on monetary funds. For example, would my school be willing to buy me a set of classroom MP3 players for my 5th and 6th grade Language Arts class?

Teaching Writing using Sensory Details Flickr Project

My group consisted of Marcie McDowell, Jenna Bush, Krista Boyer, Greg Perram, and I. Because three of us will be certified in teaching Language Arts, we decided to focus our project on teaching writing incorporating sensory details when describing a scene.

Core Content 4.1: Middle School Language Arts (Writing)
WR-M-3.5.0
Language: Students will exemplify effective language choices by
· Incorporating strong verbs, precise nouns, concrete details and sensory details

Link to Flickr Project:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38381118@N04/sets/72157618105640770/

How I RESEARCH

I choose a broad topic, and then draw a web to generate more detailed sub-topics.
I choose a sub-topic (an in-depth, focused topic)
I go to the Internet.
On the Internet, I go to several different library websites: UofL, Louisville Free Public Library, and Bellarmine Library. At each website, I browse the catalogue for anything associated with my topic. Once I find a book or article, I write down the book on a piece of notebook paper, labeling which library, the call number, and floor of library. I repeat this process for all libraries.
I go to the Internet and research books on Google associated to my topic. If I find anything remotely interesting, I buy the book online or at the local bookstore.
I.... (many more steps to come)

Technology Autobiography

Middle School is the beginning of my technology journey. At my school, we had a computer lab with thirty computers (not stoneaged typewriters that the Hayes household owned) and after handwriting class in the second, third, and fourth grades, we transitioned into an hour long computer class. In the computer lab, we learned typing though tutorials, such as Mavis Beacon. We played interactive games that contributed to instruction, such as the Oregon Trail. And, we took book tests on the computers through the Accelerated Reader program. When the Hayes household FINALLY bought a computer, I remember exploring the Internet to research interesting, historical places, such as the Vatican, Pyramids of Giza, Canterbury Cathedral, etc. As an avid lover of traveling, the Internet brought far away places close and alive for me! Not only did I use the Internet to research far away lands, but I, like millions of teens, became obsessed with "You've Got Mail", chat rooms, and instant messaging to communicate with friends and family.
In high school, I was required to take one computer class to graduate. During this introductory course, I learned the basics of Windows and the Microsoft Corporation. We designed powerpoint presentations, formulated graphs and tables that coordinated to math and science problems, and created pamplets and brochures.
In college, I had limited use of technology beyond Microsoft Word because I was an English major- reading and writing formed the basis of all instruction. But, two courses in the English department at the University of Kentucky attempted to incorporate student use of technology. In my Shakespeare course, I used the online Oxford English Dictionary to look up meanings of words from different periods thoughout history and locate the emergeance and origin of words. In my British Literature course, Doctor Rosenmann required students to blog responses to various readings on Blackboard and comment on other students responses. In my 5th and 6th grade Language Arts classes next year, I hope to have students blog homework assignments and respond to other students responses in order to create an authentic classroom community as Doctor Rosenmann did in her college course.
During student teaching, I acquanited myself with a variety of technologies I had never experienced before into everyday instruction: SmartBoard, document camera, PowerPoint, overhead, and the microphone. One area of technology I would like to acquaint myself more with is the use of webquests and interactive games during classroom instruction. I have learned during student teaching that technology makes classroom instruction and learning more meaningful for students as it appeals to a variety of learning types and intelligences.
I believe every class should have one computer for teacher use, one computer for projection use, and at least 3-4 computers for student use, but a classroom set of student computers would be most beneficial. As a language arts teacher, I rely on students being able to use computers weekly, if not daily, to compose various forms of writings. Computers are absolutely invaluable.
I have learned many new technologies that I can easily incorporate in weekly and daily lesson planning. Of all the technologies I have been introduced to, I plan on immediately including blogging and wikis in my classroom. I also want to start bookmarking favorite sites on Diigo. I enjoyed MovieMaker, but need more practice with it before incorporating it into my classroom. MovieMaker is such a time intensive project that it would be nice to collaborate with another content to create movies across disciplines. Flickr is easy to use and I will definitly include this sometime throughout instruction in my 6th grade class next year.
And the technology journey continues..... making learning real and fun.