I watched the video the networked student in youtube. The Networked Student was inspired by CCK08, a Connectivism course offered by George Siemens and Stephen Downes during fall 2008. It depicts an actual project completed by Wendy Drexler's high school students. The Networked Student concept map was inspired by Alec Couros' Networked Teacher. I hope that teachers will use it to help their colleagues, parents, and students understand networked learning in the 21st century. This was a case in 2008. I decided that I would like to update what is explained in that video to 2011. I prepared my own version of that presentation with the new tools we have right now, I am pretty sure that in two years more someone else will need to update it.
I made a list of the resources mentioned in the video and I added a new ones that are currently in use. Here is my list, I would like to encourage you to review it.
In the video a student is asked to write a research paper.
A. Searching and Researching
He went to the library, now most of the institutions have digital libraries. I believe teaching students how to search in those academic databases is very important, and also teaching them how to find peer reviewed articles.
uses of online libraries, or libraries or search engines such as google scholar.
uses of other search engines such as yippy.com yippy is searching engine who groups the data in clusters...pretty useful...watch out google!
B. Sharing
Students use now social bookmarking websites. The most popular right now is delicious.com you can create an account and have your favorites websites.
Blogging. Blogging is a way to share information and discuss different points of view with others.
C. Looking for experts
Students can know use open sources which give them access to the best professors in the word. all their classes and lessons are in a web for anyone!, one of the most popular is MIT open source - check it out at http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm
Podcast. U itunes of apple contains several podcast prepared for the best professors in the world in different topics. Dowling college's department of education, leadership and technology (department that I am currently the chair) has a podcast website as well.
I was very interested in the podcast I listened to about School Leadership 2.0. Once I was finished, I decided to join the network. I completely agree with Bill Brennan that there needs to be some balance of online filtering software and teaching our kids (and educators) to navigate through the wealth of online information. I do feel that it is imperative that certain sites be blocked to our students. I would not want someone in my class to come across inappropriate information when doing research. However,it is often that teachers have to deal with the same filters. I, like many teachers, do a great deal of my school work from my home computer. There have been many times where I have come across an amazing video or website. However, once I arrive back in school, I cannot view it because of the blocks. Each district usually has a process in place to unblock that site, however, it is sometimes a timely process. I think it is necessary for teachers to understand that they are responsible for what they are showing their students. However, if they preview the material and see the educational value in it, they should be able to utilize it in their classroom. It is very difficult for a district to weigh the benefits and risks of using the filtering software, but I do believe that teachers should have less material filtered.
ReplyDeleteI just recently read, 77 Web Resources for Teachers to Try this Summer. There were some resources on this list, that I have already put in place in my classroom, such as a classroom website. Although I would like to continue to develop my website, I am happy with what I have in place so far. I can honestly admit though that this time two weeks ago, there were several resources on that list, that I did not really see an educational value in. However, as I have taken part in the Advanced Certificate in Computers in Education, I have been exposed to more about different resources on this list.
ReplyDeleteOne resource that I can't wait to take advantage of is my educational blog. I really did not see how blogs could pertain to a classroom. However, after reading Scholastic's Top 20 Teacher Blogs, I had many ideas about how to use a blog in my classroom. Every year, I reserve a bulletin board in my classroom to display "100 books sheets." I created these book sheets several years ago. When a student finishes reading a book independently, they fill out a sheet which includes information about the book such as title, author, and copyright information. Then, they write a summary and book review about the book. I often find that there is not time in the day to share these pieces that the students put time and effort into. I thought a blog would be a great way to track our progress when trying to reach 100 books. I can update the blog with the number of books read. The students can also interact with each other on the blog by commenting on the books read or even what their classmates wrote. It will be our "online bulletin board" of how we're doing with our goal of reading to 100 books. I hope that my students are just as excited about my blog in the fall.
Another resource that I am looking forward to using is Math Live. Math Live is a website that I have never come across before. It has a group of characters that interact in every day scenarios to explain various math concepts. I am the advisor for the grade 4 and grade 5 Math Club at my school. This is a website that I can definitely utilize there or even just in my individual classroom. Math Live also offers links to other resources as well such as worksheets that reinforce the skill covered. The worksheets can be utilized during the actual lesson or for a follow up homework assignment. The website also offers assessments. The assessments there include sample student responses to use as a guide for grading as well. Finally, Math Live has a parent resource as well. The parent resource explains what about the skill is difficult for children and how you can use everyday scenarios at home to help them. This website also includes an illustrated math glossary that I can use with my students who need more visuals to understand certain concepts. I could easily pull up some of these short clips as an introduction or a closing to one of my lessons.
There are so many resources that I am looking forward to using this school year. I will let you know how I progress with them as I go.
My Classroom Website http://www.kpcsd.org/webpages/erobilotta/
Scholastic's Topy 20 Teacher Blogs http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=375256
My 100 Books Blog http://robilottasclass.blogspot.com/
Math Live
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/me5l/html/math5.html
There are so many resources out there that can impact how education is delivered. I find that my SMART Board is a platform where I use many different ways to present information to my students. I was very impressed with the itunes program and what it offers me in my classroom. Most of the resources I acquired from itunes will be useful on my SMART Board (a type of interactive white board).
ReplyDeleteWhen watching the video on Universal Design for Learning, I agree that teachers need "multiple methods of presentation." An interactive white board allows you to do just that. When I use my SMART Board in my classroom, I do not just use the SMART Notebook Software (although it is a resource that I find invaluable). I also use the internet and play educational games with my students, utilize webquests, and I pull up PowerPoint presentations. This allows my students to see the same information in various ways. I find they are more engaged when it's not the same thing all day and every day. I remember when I was in high school, overhead projectors were the new thing. I used to dread class every time I walked in and saw one was set up. I knew that the teacher would sit next to it and just show us overhead after overhead and we would just write, write, write. My interactive white board allows me to do so much more. After I watched the future of the interactive white board, I did agree that SMART technologies has made technology that teachers can use very easily. Most of what I know how to do on my board, I was able to self teach myself. However, when the movie ended, I saw a link for another video on the 5 tips and tricks on using a SMART board. After watching that video, I did learn how to zoom in to text or put a spot light on information that I want to highlight for my students.
One other resource that I am planning on utilizing on my SMART Board are the itunes U podcasts and videos. When I went on itunes, I was amazed at how many resources are there for teachers without even costing them anything. I was able to subscribe thorugh itunes U to videos that reinforce the skills I teach in math each day. What was even more unbelievable is that each video or podcast had an accompanying worksheet that I can hand out to students or pull up on my SMART Board to do as we watch the video. I am excited to have something to add to my repertoire of things that I use my SMART Board for.
I look forward to starting this school year off with a few more tricks in my bag to use with my students. I find that if students are engaged by the many methods you use for presenting material, they will be able to achieve more.
5 Tips and Tricks for your SMART Board
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWNCHG-xB9o&NR=1
After listening to the podcast on the Dowling College Research website, School Leadership 2.0 seems like a really great platform for collaboration and discussion. I think it's easy for teachers to feel alone in their work and in their classroom, and daunting to incorporate technology if they feel there is no support. I agree that we should be leveraging the technology available to us and the students' skills using these technologies instead of fearing them.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with both the podcast and Erin's comments on how important strategic filtering is to making online researching and collaboration useful and safe. It's a problem I run into constantly as a science teacher when covering reproduction! There are so many websites that I can't access through school internet that it becomes really frustrating. The New York City Dept. of Ed completely blocks youtube which does have some great educational videos. Luckily there are other video sites that we can access such as Teachertube.com and Dnatube.com (specifically for science).
Lastly, I strongly agree with the importance of educating the students about responsibility and informational literacy while on the internet. What I don't understand is why courses in technology are not part of the required curriculum in elementary, middle school, and high school especially. Students shouldn't be hoping tho obtain this instruction from every teacher, piece-meal, as it is needed. I think there should be a state or national curriculum for technology, specifically informational literacy, if the people in charge really want their schools to be tech-integrated. Maybe there is already, and I just haven't heard of it yet? I must do more research.
By the way, I must say, researching and staying up-to-date with technology's uses in education could be a full-time job in and of itself. Websites that make this easier and more streamlined are great, but I'm almost feeling like there is TOO much for me to digest and comprehend. After signing up for all of the resources for this course my inbox is full every day! :)
I am having fun with my blog, http://pallottasdesk.blogspot.com/
and I hope more people visit is and comment on it.
Please visit my blog
ReplyDeletehttp://andregranttechnologyineducation.blogspot.com/2011/08/77-web-resources-for-teachers-to.html
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ReplyDeletePlease visit my blog
ReplyDeletehttp://joyce-scott.blogspot.com/2011/08/school-leadership-2o-pln-and.html