I really enjoyed this class and learned so much! I cannot even believe how much knowledge I have gained over this summer!
I feel it is important to be aware of the different teaching strategies when using technology. I also believe technology should be used in an authentic way for real learning to take place. Whatever the students are doing with the technology it has to be made using simple steps and be very clear for them. It also needs to engage them.
The technologies we have used in this class have been wonderful for me! I never thought I would have my own Blog...and here I am. I really want my children to be able to use Blogs this year with some of their writing and commenting to others. My plan is to start them off doing book reviews on their Blog. Then students can comment on them, too. I think this will be a very exciting way for them to do book reviews. The WebQuest and STAIR projects are my favorite. I will be making more of these for my class to use. I'll also be checking other WebQuests to see what I might be able to use that is already out there. This has just opened a whole new resource for me!! I also learned more about using Wiki and am thinking this might be good for homework. I have to play around with it some more.
I have not only met my own personal goals, but exceeded them! I do know there is even more out there and I have much more to learn. I am excited about this! My goals now are to keep learning more and to keep up with what I have learned already. My immediate goal is to go back and bookmark any sites and WebQuests I think I can use, and download any STAIRS I might be able to use. I haven't had a chance to look at all the STAIRS yet. My goal for now is to use what I have made with my class, make more, use resources I have found, use Wiki with my students, and have them Blog as well. My classroom will be a different place this year! Luckily for me, I am going to have 8 or 9 computers in my room...it will be a mini-lab. I am so excited!!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Teaching & Learning in an Internet-based Environment
I think it is very interesting that MI is going to require on-line learning with a minimum of 20 hours for graduation. I believe this is a very good thing. I wonder which of the three ways the schools will do this, or if they will leave it as a choice for the students. I also wonder what some of the teachers think of this.
Being a 3rd grade teacher the MI Merit Curriculum Guidelines don't specifically "speak" to me, but I do think using computers for authentic uses (not just to play games) is a very important thing for younger students, too. I know in my class the children do a lot of research using certain sites we have found for them. They have also made web pages using Wiki. Now that I have my WebQuest and STAIR project, they will be able to use those for authentic learning on the computer. I am very excited for this. I've also been thinking about how to use a Blog, and I'm thinking I might use this for certain responses for their homework. In the article it also said you could use Wiki for homework. I haven't checked that out yet, but I will.
I can definitely see our classrooms changing! I'd be interested to know if any of you have done Podcasting or anything with electronic portfolios.
Being a 3rd grade teacher the MI Merit Curriculum Guidelines don't specifically "speak" to me, but I do think using computers for authentic uses (not just to play games) is a very important thing for younger students, too. I know in my class the children do a lot of research using certain sites we have found for them. They have also made web pages using Wiki. Now that I have my WebQuest and STAIR project, they will be able to use those for authentic learning on the computer. I am very excited for this. I've also been thinking about how to use a Blog, and I'm thinking I might use this for certain responses for their homework. In the article it also said you could use Wiki for homework. I haven't checked that out yet, but I will.
I can definitely see our classrooms changing! I'd be interested to know if any of you have done Podcasting or anything with electronic portfolios.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Web 2.0 and Instructional Strategies
I think using Blogs in the classroom is an exciting thought. I see most of the uses for Blogs in the area of Language Arts because it has been noted to be an online personal journal as stated in the Winer 2003 article, but I think it can be used in many more subject areas. Below are some of my ideas:
Reading - I often have the children respond to their reading by writing me a letter about their book, writing a summary of a chapter, writing a letter to the author, etc. Instead of doing this in their Reading Journal, they could write it on their Blog. This would provide more feedback. They could also do book reviews. In fact, I might set up a separate Blog just for Book Reviews from our class. Then maybe we could open this up for other students in the school to look at.
Social Studies and Science - If the children are doing research to find out more information about certain topics, they could post their information on a Blog to share with others instead of doing a report or poster. Then, maybe other students could respond to the blogs.
Math - I'm thinking for math a Blog could be used for children to write a math story, or to write how they solved a certain problem.
Homework - This was my first thought of what I could do in my classroom. I like my students to do some of their writing at home. They have a writer's notebook for this, but I was thinking sometimes it might be a good idea to change it up and let them do their writing on their Blog.
Reflecting - I also have my children do a lot of reflecting, i.e. what did they like about this unit, what are some things they've learned, do they have more questions about the subject, etc. They could do this on their Blog.
I think Blogs are well-suited for using deductive and inductive strategies because you can have the children respond with explanations. Idea-based learning can also be done this way. I think simulation and problem solving is tougher to do, although I do think it would be a good way for students to have to think about how they solved something and then write it. I know this would be a challenge. Blogs are a great way to individualize learning and to respond with comments.
Bonus Question: The bonus question is interesting to me, especially the example of math facts. This seems to be the most difficult for me to get my head around. I'm thinking you could have a link to a math site that practices the facts and after the children are done with the site or have done it for a certain amount of time, they could write a reflection on the experience (what did they think about the site, was it good practice, etc.).
Reading - I often have the children respond to their reading by writing me a letter about their book, writing a summary of a chapter, writing a letter to the author, etc. Instead of doing this in their Reading Journal, they could write it on their Blog. This would provide more feedback. They could also do book reviews. In fact, I might set up a separate Blog just for Book Reviews from our class. Then maybe we could open this up for other students in the school to look at.
Social Studies and Science - If the children are doing research to find out more information about certain topics, they could post their information on a Blog to share with others instead of doing a report or poster. Then, maybe other students could respond to the blogs.
Math - I'm thinking for math a Blog could be used for children to write a math story, or to write how they solved a certain problem.
Homework - This was my first thought of what I could do in my classroom. I like my students to do some of their writing at home. They have a writer's notebook for this, but I was thinking sometimes it might be a good idea to change it up and let them do their writing on their Blog.
Reflecting - I also have my children do a lot of reflecting, i.e. what did they like about this unit, what are some things they've learned, do they have more questions about the subject, etc. They could do this on their Blog.
I think Blogs are well-suited for using deductive and inductive strategies because you can have the children respond with explanations. Idea-based learning can also be done this way. I think simulation and problem solving is tougher to do, although I do think it would be a good way for students to have to think about how they solved something and then write it. I know this would be a challenge. Blogs are a great way to individualize learning and to respond with comments.
Bonus Question: The bonus question is interesting to me, especially the example of math facts. This seems to be the most difficult for me to get my head around. I'm thinking you could have a link to a math site that practices the facts and after the children are done with the site or have done it for a certain amount of time, they could write a reflection on the experience (what did they think about the site, was it good practice, etc.).
Friday, July 23, 2010
WIKI
I've just gotten done with the Wiki Lab. I really never thought I would actually edit something on Wikipedia! Amazing! Since one of my projects in CEP810 was on Smart Boards, that was the content for my editing. I just added a couple of sentences to it.
I tried to do a screen dump of the Wikipedia page, but everything I tried didn't work. I wonder if it is because I signed up as 'secure' in Wikipedia. Here is the link to the page: Suzy's Wikipedia Edit
Next is the link to my very own Wiki pages. I am so excited about this! Suzy's Wiki Pages
Enjoy!
I tried to do a screen dump of the Wikipedia page, but everything I tried didn't work. I wonder if it is because I signed up as 'secure' in Wikipedia. Here is the link to the page: Suzy's Wikipedia Edit
Next is the link to my very own Wiki pages. I am so excited about this! Suzy's Wiki Pages
Enjoy!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Integrating Computer-based Instructional Objects
I think integrating computer-based instructional objects, like STAIRS or WebQuests, into our teaching is very important for both the teachers and students. Technology will be such an important part of their lives, and looking at the examples of STAIRS and WebQuests has shown me that they can be used for whole group teaching, group work, or individual work. I believe it is important for children to know the task they have been charged with, as well as how they will be evaluated. Using these learning objects is also a great way to individualize.
However, some things do need to be considered when using these. I saw many WebQuests like this one that were out-of-date because not all of the links worked. This is too bad because I would have liked to use some of them in my classroom. However, I did get some very good ideas of WebQuests I can make myself. I realized that WebQuests don't have to take a really long time to do, they can be short and sweet like this next one. Some of the sites don't work, but it really wouldn't take too long to make. Another problem I saw in this last WebQuest were that some of the sites had too much advertising, some of the information was hard to find, and some of the writing inappropriate for the age level it was made. The reading ability of the audience needs to be considered. So, I do see that the sites connected to the WebQuests or STAIRS have to be found carefully. I think U-Tube videos could also be a good connection. Another thing I thought about was the ease of going to view something and then getting back to the WebQuest or STAIR. One WebQuest I looked at was a little confusing about how to get back to it. When I did go back by using the back arrow, it was written there, but it was written after the icon to leave the page. I think it needed to be printed before that. If I didn't see it easily, neither will most children.
A WebQuest I thought was done very nicely was about Sarah, Plain and Tall. This is one of the book choices I give the children to read so it would work nicely. I thought it was very simple and easy to use. Although there was one site, The Tall Grass, that was 'suspended', so, can I still use this Webquest? If I did, what do I do about that? Another one I liked was about Fact or Fiction on the Internet. It is a short WebQuest about what is true or not on the Internet. Again, I'm not sure I'd use these exact sites, especially the last one, but it is a good idea. Overall, I really enjoyed looking at the different WebQuests and for ones I could possible use. I got lots of good ideas, but wish I would have found more that I could use as is.
However, some things do need to be considered when using these. I saw many WebQuests like this one that were out-of-date because not all of the links worked. This is too bad because I would have liked to use some of them in my classroom. However, I did get some very good ideas of WebQuests I can make myself. I realized that WebQuests don't have to take a really long time to do, they can be short and sweet like this next one. Some of the sites don't work, but it really wouldn't take too long to make. Another problem I saw in this last WebQuest were that some of the sites had too much advertising, some of the information was hard to find, and some of the writing inappropriate for the age level it was made. The reading ability of the audience needs to be considered. So, I do see that the sites connected to the WebQuests or STAIRS have to be found carefully. I think U-Tube videos could also be a good connection. Another thing I thought about was the ease of going to view something and then getting back to the WebQuest or STAIR. One WebQuest I looked at was a little confusing about how to get back to it. When I did go back by using the back arrow, it was written there, but it was written after the icon to leave the page. I think it needed to be printed before that. If I didn't see it easily, neither will most children.
A WebQuest I thought was done very nicely was about Sarah, Plain and Tall. This is one of the book choices I give the children to read so it would work nicely. I thought it was very simple and easy to use. Although there was one site, The Tall Grass, that was 'suspended', so, can I still use this Webquest? If I did, what do I do about that? Another one I liked was about Fact or Fiction on the Internet. It is a short WebQuest about what is true or not on the Internet. Again, I'm not sure I'd use these exact sites, especially the last one, but it is a good idea. Overall, I really enjoyed looking at the different WebQuests and for ones I could possible use. I got lots of good ideas, but wish I would have found more that I could use as is.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!
Our first assignment was to tell about the difference between traditional web pages and blogs. From my perspective I believe traditional web pages are more of a one-way street. They tell information from the designer of the page. Blogs I feel are a more personal way to give information, thoughts, and opinions. Like a web-page they can have links, but they can also have responses made to them. As an internet user I have seen many web pages, but blogging is new to me. Another difference I see is the fact that you can limit who can see and comment to your blog. Due to this fact, I can already think of some ways this could be used in the classroom.
Our first assignment was to tell about the difference between traditional web pages and blogs. From my perspective I believe traditional web pages are more of a one-way street. They tell information from the designer of the page. Blogs I feel are a more personal way to give information, thoughts, and opinions. Like a web-page they can have links, but they can also have responses made to them. As an internet user I have seen many web pages, but blogging is new to me. Another difference I see is the fact that you can limit who can see and comment to your blog. Due to this fact, I can already think of some ways this could be used in the classroom.
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