My hopes of gaining access to more technologies to enhance my teaching effectiveness have certainly been met. I am so excited about all the web-based tools that we have learned in EDTP 504, that I recently updated my resume just so I could include them under the "Technological Skills" subheading. From Microsoft MovieMaker to Flickr to WebQuests, RSS, Wikkis, Podcasts and Weblogs, I could not be more thrilled with the scope of technolgical tools I have learned. I look forward to enhancing my instruction next year with this vast variety of tools.
Thanks so much to Amy for great instruction! Good luck to all the future teachers!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Monday, April 9, 2007
Web-Quest Supports Differentiated Instruction
Dear Mr. Black,
The free website questgarden.com offers an exceptional opportunity for teachers in all content areas to guide students through web-based research in a structured, easy-to-facillitate manner. Web-Quests also serve as easy and exciting ways to incoporate technology into the classroom and implement differentiated instruction to students of all learning styles and ability levels. I propose that Knight offer an hour long PD in August to explain how, when, and why to use Web-Quests in any content area.
As stated above, Web-Quests are well-structured research guides that can aide teachers in the facillitation of a research project. Teachers need only to create (or borrow) a web-based guide through which students direct themselves through the World Wide Web to answer guiding questions or create any sort of research based projects. The easy one-step creation of the online guide aides teachers in facillitation. The structure aides students who could easily be lost in the maze of webpages and (some false) information online.
In addition to the ease of facilitation and structure for students, Web-Quests provide teachers and easy way to differentiate instruction for various ability levels and learning styles. Web-Quests can easily be altered to match an individual or group's ability level. A "Challenge" could be included on the Web-Quest. Also, teachers could provide small-group instruction to students struggling in one area while students who have successfully mastered a skill could work on their Web-Quest, which could easily span the length of a grading period.
Finally, if Knight were to offer a PD on Web-Quests this August, teachers could learn the varieties of ways in which this tool could aide them in any content area. They could learn how to use the tool with ease, when it is appropriate, why it is beneficial, and decide how to "make it their own." Knight would be a more technologically advanced place for the information, and its students would have the opportunity to build confidence in an activity that would provide them the skills they need to be successful researchers and technology users.
Knight needs to offer an August PD on Web-Quests. This free, technologically advanced tool provides the structure students need to develop research skills. It also provides ease of facillitation for teachers, and makes differentiating instruction easier as well. Finally, if all of Knight's faculty understood how, when, and why to implement Web-Quest, the school-wide knowledge would put Knight on the fore-front of technological advancement. Please consider my idea for an August PD to incorporate Web-Quests!
Thank you,
Ms. Yost
The free website questgarden.com offers an exceptional opportunity for teachers in all content areas to guide students through web-based research in a structured, easy-to-facillitate manner. Web-Quests also serve as easy and exciting ways to incoporate technology into the classroom and implement differentiated instruction to students of all learning styles and ability levels. I propose that Knight offer an hour long PD in August to explain how, when, and why to use Web-Quests in any content area.
As stated above, Web-Quests are well-structured research guides that can aide teachers in the facillitation of a research project. Teachers need only to create (or borrow) a web-based guide through which students direct themselves through the World Wide Web to answer guiding questions or create any sort of research based projects. The easy one-step creation of the online guide aides teachers in facillitation. The structure aides students who could easily be lost in the maze of webpages and (some false) information online.
In addition to the ease of facilitation and structure for students, Web-Quests provide teachers and easy way to differentiate instruction for various ability levels and learning styles. Web-Quests can easily be altered to match an individual or group's ability level. A "Challenge" could be included on the Web-Quest. Also, teachers could provide small-group instruction to students struggling in one area while students who have successfully mastered a skill could work on their Web-Quest, which could easily span the length of a grading period.
Finally, if Knight were to offer a PD on Web-Quests this August, teachers could learn the varieties of ways in which this tool could aide them in any content area. They could learn how to use the tool with ease, when it is appropriate, why it is beneficial, and decide how to "make it their own." Knight would be a more technologically advanced place for the information, and its students would have the opportunity to build confidence in an activity that would provide them the skills they need to be successful researchers and technology users.
Knight needs to offer an August PD on Web-Quests. This free, technologically advanced tool provides the structure students need to develop research skills. It also provides ease of facillitation for teachers, and makes differentiating instruction easier as well. Finally, if all of Knight's faculty understood how, when, and why to implement Web-Quest, the school-wide knowledge would put Knight on the fore-front of technological advancement. Please consider my idea for an August PD to incorporate Web-Quests!
Thank you,
Ms. Yost
Sunday, April 8, 2007
The Importance of Free Information
Reading chapter 9 in Richardson's book reinforced an idea I already held strongly: that it is of the utmost importance to keep the web public and free. Some people in powerful positions of business and government are currently making arguments in favor of privatization of the Internet's web pages. I don't believe there could be a more harmful idea. The world wide web needs to remain public and free to everyone with Internet access.
As a teacher, I cannot imagine something more harmful for my students. Were the government to allow or mandate that web pages be privatized, only those with the proper means could access information, while those without - such as underprivileged students and teachers working in financially stringent conditions - would be censored for the free information we now take for granted. An electronic caste system would be created, in which those who hold power would get more powerful in their access and control of knowledge, while those with less power would grow weaker in their ignorance. The web must remain public so that all people can access information, and decide for themselves what is true and what is not.
Some argue, however, that privatization of the Internet would cut down on the misinformation published on the web. When in history has putting the power of censorship in the hands of politicians and business leaders ever led to more accurate and unbiased information? Richardson says that students now need to learn how to be editors to determine what is true and what is inaccurate on the Internet. This is the perfect opportunity to give students the critical thinking skills they need to be knowledgeable, aware citizens. If web pages are privatized, that opportunity would be taken away from them, if not their easy access to information and knowledge.
Privatization of the Internet would ultimately make the country less democratic. The less fortunate and public school students would lack the same information that their wealthier counter-parts had access to, and the information allowed on the web would be controlled not by regular, common citizens, but by big business leaders and politicians. Keep the Internet public for the ideals of American equity, liberty, and democracy.
As a teacher, I cannot imagine something more harmful for my students. Were the government to allow or mandate that web pages be privatized, only those with the proper means could access information, while those without - such as underprivileged students and teachers working in financially stringent conditions - would be censored for the free information we now take for granted. An electronic caste system would be created, in which those who hold power would get more powerful in their access and control of knowledge, while those with less power would grow weaker in their ignorance. The web must remain public so that all people can access information, and decide for themselves what is true and what is not.
Some argue, however, that privatization of the Internet would cut down on the misinformation published on the web. When in history has putting the power of censorship in the hands of politicians and business leaders ever led to more accurate and unbiased information? Richardson says that students now need to learn how to be editors to determine what is true and what is inaccurate on the Internet. This is the perfect opportunity to give students the critical thinking skills they need to be knowledgeable, aware citizens. If web pages are privatized, that opportunity would be taken away from them, if not their easy access to information and knowledge.
Privatization of the Internet would ultimately make the country less democratic. The less fortunate and public school students would lack the same information that their wealthier counter-parts had access to, and the information allowed on the web would be controlled not by regular, common citizens, but by big business leaders and politicians. Keep the Internet public for the ideals of American equity, liberty, and democracy.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Putting Literature in Context through Digital Innovation
As I read Richardson's chapter on bookmarking websites (such as Furl.net, del.icio.us, and Jots) devoted to making connecting web-users to a variety of weblinked resources easier for everyday web browsers like myself and my students, I kept trying to determine the best possible ways in which to use this resource. The easy connections between students would make it ideal for a basis for a discussion board. Richardson also suggests it for a valuable research tool.
Another idea I had for the language arts classroom is based on my idea for context based (rather than genre based) units. I've been wanting to design a context based writing unit since I began teaching, but I have not yet been able to incorporate the necessary core content to make it feesible. If, however, I am able to do so next year, I would definitely use Jots or Furl as a tool. Students could subscribe to RSS feeds of the Harlem Renaissance or Shakespeare to more fully research and present on obscure aspects of the context in which we were studying the plays, poems, and other writings of the era. I look forward to considering this, and the other tools Richardson outlines, as I plan for next year.
Another idea I had for the language arts classroom is based on my idea for context based (rather than genre based) units. I've been wanting to design a context based writing unit since I began teaching, but I have not yet been able to incorporate the necessary core content to make it feesible. If, however, I am able to do so next year, I would definitely use Jots or Furl as a tool. Students could subscribe to RSS feeds of the Harlem Renaissance or Shakespeare to more fully research and present on obscure aspects of the context in which we were studying the plays, poems, and other writings of the era. I look forward to considering this, and the other tools Richardson outlines, as I plan for next year.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Pod-Casting in the Language Arts Classroom
My prior experience with pod-casting has mainly involved me catching up on missed NPR programs over the internet. Before now, I hadn't thought it could be so easy to actually upload my own students voices onto the internet. In chapter eight of Richardson's Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, he outlays the simplicity and variety of podcasting in the classroom.
My intial question was this: how can I use podcasting specifically in the language arts classroom for authentic learning or assessment. Then I realized what a powerful and effective method of presentation assessment this tool could present. Students could record themselves reading their own poetry and podcast it for all the world to hear. They could write plays and monologues and then perform them over the internet. At last we could reach that final stage of the writing process - publishing - and finally make it authentic.
Beyond literary writing, my students could read their narratives aloud, discuss the topics outlined in their feature articles, argue the opinions put forth in their editorials or give their speeches aloud to a very real audience. Or, I could use pod-casting to have my students reflect on their own writing processes. Literature Circles could also be podcasts. It seems the possiblitiees are endless.
My intial question was this: how can I use podcasting specifically in the language arts classroom for authentic learning or assessment. Then I realized what a powerful and effective method of presentation assessment this tool could present. Students could record themselves reading their own poetry and podcast it for all the world to hear. They could write plays and monologues and then perform them over the internet. At last we could reach that final stage of the writing process - publishing - and finally make it authentic.
Beyond literary writing, my students could read their narratives aloud, discuss the topics outlined in their feature articles, argue the opinions put forth in their editorials or give their speeches aloud to a very real audience. Or, I could use pod-casting to have my students reflect on their own writing processes. Literature Circles could also be podcasts. It seems the possiblitiees are endless.
The Digital Story as an Instructional Tool
Because I have worked with digital stories in past classes at the University of Lousiville, I decided to push myself a step further to create a digital story I could actually use with my students. I made a story to introduce a literacy project I plan to do with my students next year called, "Unlocking Poetry."
In this project, students will research a poem that has some sort of special meaning for them. The possibilities for student exploration are unlimited, and I will allow students to use musical lyrics, so long as they can document why the lyricas are poetic. The students will then be required to re-represent their poem in some artistic medium, whether clay, paint, charcoal, colored pencil or any thing else the students can imagine. They will then create digital stories in pairs, in which they will present their individual projects in a fluid and coherent way. Thus, I will push them to make new, more complex connections between individual projects to create a collaborative digital story.
My own digital story will serve as the hook, model, and inspiration for my students' projects.
When they see my former students' work, as well as a model of a digital story, I hope they will be inspired to create a unique and wonderful digital story to express a certain personal connection they had to a poem, and to then connect that in some comparison or contrast to another students' expression. From this project I not only hope that my students will gain technological experience and advancement, but also an appreciation of poetry, figurative language cognitive development, and collaborative working skills. Most importantly to me as a language arts teacher, this activiy should give them authentic access to unlock the mirror and window that is poetry.In this project, students will research a poem that has some sort of special meaning for them. The possibilities for student exploration are unlimited, and I will allow students to use musical lyrics, so long as they can document why the lyricas are poetic. The students will then be required to re-represent their poem in some artistic medium, whether clay, paint, charcoal, colored pencil or any thing else the students can imagine. They will then create digital stories in pairs, in which they will present their individual projects in a fluid and coherent way. Thus, I will push them to make new, more complex connections between individual projects to create a collaborative digital story.
My own digital story will serve as the hook, model, and inspiration for my students' projects.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Changing for Kids; Changing for Change
I'm excited about the ideas presented in Marc Prensky's article Adopt and Adapt, because he challenges educators to push their uses of technology to a truly contructivist model. As a teacher who believes fully in the ideals of modern day educational best practice, and the constructivist model as the most effective and most democratic, I am willing to push myself to find "new ways of doing new things."
Last year I was definitely a "dappler" in technology, hardly even using technology other than to have my students type their portfolio pieces. This year I've tried to implement technology into my classroom in a number of ways: modeling on the projector, an online gradebook, and a classroom website. All of these are essentially "old things in new ways." Next year will be my year to push myself further to implement "new things in new ways," and push my students to the highest levels of Blooms taxonomy with technology as our guide.
Prensky's idea of incorporating the students into decsion making roles in schools and classrooms is a wonderful notion. Josh McHugh, too, is right in arguing that it is the teachers' duty to speak the students' language (in this case a digital one.) It is true that they are the technological natives, and just as I have often consulted them for constructive criticism of my lessons and class procedures, I will happily consult them for technological advice. If it empowers them, it's worth extra planning and flexibility. Personally, I am more than happy to change for them. I went into education to bring about change, and if technology is a vehicle for that change, I look forward to it. If it brings opportunity to my students, empowers them, connects them to the far-reaching corners of the globe, exposes them to new ideas and information, or gives them a forum on which to the voice their own ideas, I more than welcome it. I demand it.
Last year I was definitely a "dappler" in technology, hardly even using technology other than to have my students type their portfolio pieces. This year I've tried to implement technology into my classroom in a number of ways: modeling on the projector, an online gradebook, and a classroom website. All of these are essentially "old things in new ways." Next year will be my year to push myself further to implement "new things in new ways," and push my students to the highest levels of Blooms taxonomy with technology as our guide.
Prensky's idea of incorporating the students into decsion making roles in schools and classrooms is a wonderful notion. Josh McHugh, too, is right in arguing that it is the teachers' duty to speak the students' language (in this case a digital one.) It is true that they are the technological natives, and just as I have often consulted them for constructive criticism of my lessons and class procedures, I will happily consult them for technological advice. If it empowers them, it's worth extra planning and flexibility. Personally, I am more than happy to change for them. I went into education to bring about change, and if technology is a vehicle for that change, I look forward to it. If it brings opportunity to my students, empowers them, connects them to the far-reaching corners of the globe, exposes them to new ideas and information, or gives them a forum on which to the voice their own ideas, I more than welcome it. I demand it.
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