Edunology

Have you taken a look at a Glog yet? The website http://edu.glogster.com is a free Web 2.0 site for educators. The site allows for teachers to create an account and then within that account create up to 100 managed student accounts. The entire setup takes about 3 minutes to complete. On my wiki page I have provided instructions for accessing and setting up an account on Glogster. http://edunology.wikispaces.com/glogster.

A Glog is a digital poster that may contain text, images, clip art, videos, audio files, backgrounds and hyperlinks. All of these items can be arranged  in a very creative and artistic way. There is not a template that is forced on the user. Glogs are designed to be presented to an audience upon completion.  This is where a Glog separates itself from other presentation tools such as PowerPoint.

We have all sat through a number of PowerPoint presentations delivered by students and our peers. How many of these presentations have been dreadful? How painful is it to sit through a presentation in which the presenter has slide after slide of text that he or she continues to read word for word? In many cases students are copying and pasting text from the web and then reading it out loud to the class. This is not an exercise in higher order thinking. Students are not synthesizing the information they have uncovered. They are just reading information that they found on the web.

Glogster can change the way you and your students deliver presentations. A Glog is a one page digital poster. All of the content for your presentation must be contained in one page. It is designed to be populated by primarily images and short text labels. By limiting the space allocated for content the presenter must provide meaning and depth to his or her presentation by offering explanations and descriptions for the content they have added to their Glog. The presenter must have a clear understanding of the topic and be able to offer explanations in his or her own words to explain their content selections.

Example: The Glog that I have linked to below is a digital poster assignment in which the presenter is stating a case for a President that she believes a monument should be built for. It was designed by Mrs. King in our Middle School as an example for a class project. Each image has a full explanation that provides justification for her argument. Mrs. King must provide this explanation to her class. This explanation is verbal. Ther are not large text boxes of content that is being read. Mrs. King provides a verbal justification to her class and uses the images to support and add meaning to her content delivery.

http://kingcrown.edu.glogster.com/john-f-kennedy-monument/

By providing our students with a presentation tool that steers them towards reflective analysis, verbal explanations, public speaking and creativity we are not only preparing them for the 21st century, but we are providing them with an avenue for synthesis of ideas and information. This type of assessment will have a positive impact on student learning that exceeds what we are currently experiencing with MS PowerPoint.

I have come across a few great websites that host free math tutorial videos.  The videos on these sites are great teachers and students. Many of the videos break down complex math topics into small pieces. They can be used as an instructional tool or a study guide for students. These videos can be embedded or linked into Smart Notebook Lessons, Glogs, PowerPoints or Digital Stories.

I will be adding to this list from time to time as I am introduced to other great sites.

• www.khanacademy.org – A huge collection of Math and Science tutorials. Created by an MIT graduate this site is a terrific resource for students and teachers. The videos are hosted on Youtube so Youtube access is required.

• www.mathtrain.tv – a collection of math tutorial videos created by students for students.

• http://teacher.tenmarks.com -  math video lessons – free. They have loads of math video lessons – 3-5 minutes long – perfect for sharing with kids and parents for grades 3-10. What I like most is the wonderful way they have explained complex math problems by breaking it into smaller pieces.

I have written about the website http://edu.glogster.com. It is a website that allows students to create digital posters. These posters may contain text, images, videos, and clip art. There are some really great examples available on my wiki page as well as on the Glogster site. You can read my previous post on Glogster here.

I  presented a lunch and learn workshop on Glogster at Briggs School a few weeks ago. Since then a couple of teachers in that school have really taken this new tool and ran with it. Jodie Sparling and Cecilia Hansen have started to use the Glogs they created as a teaching tool. They have done a great job at compiling instructional resources on each of the Glogs they have created. In the end, they are enjoying the process of putting these Glogs together. The level of engagement for the student’s has increased and their is a positive impact regarding student learning in their classrooms.

I have listed a few links to the Glogs that they have created below.

Enjoy!

1. Grade 2 – Long Vowels – Jefferson Twp Teacher Ex:- http://jsparling.edu.glogster.com/long-vowels/
2. Grade 2 – Jefferson Twp – Teacher Ex. http://ceil.edu.glogster.com/frog-and-toad/
3. Grade 2 – Teacher Samples

• http://ceil.edu.glogster.com/blueberries-for-sal/
• http://ceil.edu.glogster.com/weather/
• http://ceil.edu.glogster.com/number-words/
• http://jsparling.edu.glogster.com/sentences/

I have presented a number of workshops for teachers of all grade levels. The topic of these workshops range from technology infusion, to Smartboards 101, to developing your personal learning network. In each of these workshops we review best practices in instructional technology. We talk about differentiation, web 2.0, student publishing, authentic experiences, multimedia, and collaboration. The outcomes we discuss reflect a belief in promoting higher order thinking, creativity, and student learning.

In most cases the feedback from these discussions is very positive. The value of such practices is well received by participants. The sessions end with a high level of motivation and excitement. In almost every workshop however, a variation of this question is always asked, “What about typing?” “These projects are great but my students struggle with typing. They are hunting and pecking. It makes the completion of these projects sometimes take longer then they should. There is a also a level of frustration among students because of their typing skills?”

This is a very valid argument and a concern worth talking about. What about typing? What are we doing to provide our students with basic keyboarding skills? State core curriculum content standards are being revised. The model that best meets these standards is an infusion of technology into the curriculum areas. That means no more computer specials. The technology instruction is infused into the core subjects. Can a student really learn how to type by taking part in a once a week 40 minute computer class anyway? Even if that is the only thing taught all year? The research says no. In order to effectively teach keyboarding to students it must be part of the weekly curriculum. It must be taught for 90+ minutes at a minimum.  That means something has to be replaced by it?

What about cursive writing? This is an interesting thought and one that I am sure will drum up some controversy. How often do we use cursive writing anymore as adults? Do we see the use of cursive writing growing or diminishing? I know that I only write in cursive when signing my name. That is it! Most educators ask students to turn in assignments typed. With the advancement of technology we will be seeing more and more mobile devices in the classroom. Students will be accessing digital textbooks and collaborating electronically with peers, teachers, and global partnerships. I do not see too much cursive writing going on there?

My wife is a reading specialist and literacy coach. She argues that cursive writing assists in the development of motor skills and contributes to reading fluency. She also states that if it is not taught, it is an art that will be completely lost. I will have to gather some more research from her before i provide a more in-depth explanation in this blog post.

Can we replace the significant amount of time we spend teaching cursive writing with keyboarding? Which will have a positive impact on student learning? What are the repercussions of such an action?

My discussion here is based on my own thoughts. I have not cited specific research on the topic supporting the pros and cons. I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic as I continue my research.

The NYTimes.com launched a daily Student Opinion feature last October.  It is a  “safe space” on NYTimes.com – and on the Internet overall – for students 13 and older to voice their views on the news.  This blog format contains postings on topics that will provoke student opinions. Students have the ability to leave comments on each of the postings. The postings are moderated before they appear live on the site.

Having students participate in online discussions on events and issues in the news will provide students with a forum to voice opinions. This type of activity will assist in developing critical thinking, writing and literacy skills.  Most importantly it allows for students to write for a global audience.  The result will be a forum of global responses. This  will allow students to read perspectives and views from around the world. That is a key 21st century skill.

“In a piece for the National Writing Project, Anne Rodier argues that students “have to believe that what they have to say is important enough to bother writing. They have to experience writing for real audiences before they will know that writing can bring them power.”” (www.nytimes.com)

The NY Times Listed some Ideas for Integrating this new site into the classroom. They also recommend that you review the commenting guidelines for The Learning Network.

Some Key Commenting Guidelines

1.  student comments must be signed with a first name (and ONLY a first name), but we cannot post the full name and location of your school, due to privacy concerns. You might give students a code, such as your classroom number or section, (for example, Rachel221 or Simon3B) so your students, and you, can tell which posts are written by class members.

2. You can easily find any weekday’s Student Opinion question by visiting the blog, or you can scroll through past posts by clicking on the Student Opinion category.

3. In addition to serving as writing prompts, Student Opinion posts can also serve as critical reading material. Students can also read past comments for comprehension, synthesis and analysis.

Classroom Integration Ideas -

These ideas are taken directly from The NY Times. You can read the full posting here. I have taken excerpts from it in this posting.

Debating Controversial Issues – We often pose provocative questions, and responding to them can be a good warm-up activity before organizing and holding a classroom debate on a relevant, current topic. Examples include Where Do You Stand on Unconcealed Handguns?, Should the Military End ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’? and Is Tackle Football Too Dangerous for Kids to Play?. After reading the related article and responding to a controversial question, students choose sides and then research and craft their arguments.

Practicing Internet Etiquette – Develop computer savvy. Start with our lesson plan Care to Comment? Considering Internet Protocol, then practice good Internet citizenship on Student Opinion, where all comments are moderated. They might enter a discussion about digital life, such as What Can Strangers Learn About You Online?, or simply join any Student Opinion conversation and then reflect on the experience and the related issues of Internet safety, privacy and etiquette and Web citizenship, particularly in the area of user comments.

Developing Surveys – Students browse Student Opinion posts to select a topic that would make a good survey to administer in school. Questions that lend themselves to surveys include Should Kids Head to College Early?, Do You Get Enough Sleep? and What Are the Attitudes Toward ‘Cheating’ and Plagiarism Among Your Peers?. If students choose an “open” Student Opinion page entry on which to base a survey, they can use other commenters’ posts for survey questions, and later share their findings with a wider audience.

Generating Creative and Personal Writing – Students write short stories, poetry or other creative pieces inspired by Student Opinion questions, like What’s the Most Amazing Thing You’ve Ever Seen in the Natural World?, What Are Your Favorite Keepsakes From Childhood? and Can You Write a Tweet Story?. And we offer many personal writing prompts, ranging from the likes of What Do You Know About Teen Depression? and How Has the Recession Affected You? to
Have You Had ‘Helper’s High’? and How Polite Are You? Students can even share short pieces in the commenting area of the related post.

Supporting Reluctant Readers and Writers – Posting comments on serious issues might seem daunting to students who struggle with reading and writing. But many will feel comfortable responding to accessible questions on topics they can relate to, such as What Are Your Beliefs About Marriage?, Do You Spend Too Much Time on Facebook?, What Are the Hot Fashion Trends in Your School Right Now? and How Involved Are Your Parents in Your Life?.

Reviewing Arts and Entertainment – Young culture vultures can use an entertainment, arts or lifestyle question to craft and share their own reviews, perhaps modeled on Times book, movie or other reviews. Sample past questions in this vein include What Are Your Favorite Books and Authors?, Are You Watching American Idol This Season? and What Are Your Favorite Video Games?.

Reflecting on Education – In advisory or homeroom, in preparation for applying to college or just simply as a reflective exercise, students consider their experience in school. Generative questions about education include How Would you Grade your School?, Class Time + Substitute = Waste?, What Do Good Teachers Need to Know? and How Would You Sell Your School to Potential Students?. Encourage students to analyze their textbooks in the context of the recent change to curriculum in Texas by considering the question What Values are Apparent in Your School Textbooks?.

Setting Goals and Making Plans – Student Opinion questions can help students focus their thinking about the future. Examples include What Do You Want to Do With Your Life?, What’s Your Personal Learning Plan? and How Can You Best Present Yourself on College Applications?.

Thinking Deeply – How often do your students have intellectually satisfying “deep discussions”? In Student Opinion, they can reflect on and converse about such philosophical questions as How Important Is Your Spiritual Life?,
Are You Happy?, What Could You Live Without? and When Is Looting Morally Okay?.

Letting Imaginations Run Wild – How often do students get to just … dream? Pose questions like Where Would You Most Like to Go in the World?, What Would You Create if You Had Funding? or What Can Our Dreams Tell Us?, and dream they will.

Enjoy!

I came across the website the other day. It is called analyze math http://www.analyzemath.com/. I found it to be a great resource for creating interactive math lessons.  Here is a description from the website:

“The site includes several java applets to investigate Graphs of Functions, Equations, and Algebra. Topics explored are: equations of line, ellipse, circle, parabola, hyperbola, polynomials; graphs of quadratic, rational, hyperbolic, exponential and logarithmic functions; one-to-one and inverse functions and inverse trigonometric functions; systems of linear equations; determinants and Cramer’s rule; inverse matrix and matrix multiplication; vectors, complex numbers, polar equations; absolute value function; slope of a line; angle in trigonometry, unit circle, solutions to trigonometric equations; graph shifting, stretching, compression and reflection. Applets used as Online Math Calculators and Solvers and Online Geometry Calculators and Solvers are also included”

The interactive applets can be found here:

http://www.analyzemath.com/math_software.html
I see a lot of uses for such a site. Here are some of my ideas:

1. The interactive applets can be used on an interactive whiteboard.
2. Teachers can create an interactive assignment on Moodle with links to the applet for practice, links to instructional videos and discussion forums.
3. Create an interactive assignment using Glogster. One section of the Glog could be practice using one of these applets.
4. Advertise the availability of this resource for students to use as a homework helper or study guide.

Enjoy

Have you ever heard of a Glog? Would you like to learn how to take a traditional project like a poster and create a 21^st century, online version of one? Do you think your students would be interested in learning how to create an online poster with text, images, video clips, sound, graphics and design features? Would this type of assessment foster creativity, engage students in the learning process, and develop technology literacy skills?

If this sounds interesting to you then you should take a look at Glogster Edu. A glog is a 21st century poster. A Glog is an online poster that can contain photographs, images, graphics, video files, sound files and text.  Glogs allow you to add hyperlinks to other websites.

Glogster is an exciting and engaging tool for students. Glogster takes the traditional process of creating posters and makes it more interactive, dynamic, creative, and in tune with 21st century expectations.

I will be offering a workshop on a web 2.0 tool that provides the opportunities listed above. To learn more about it and to register please follow the link below.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0Aaa0uxFLu14JZGZzd2JrM21fMTZnYm53M2dnNw&hl=en

If you want to jump right in and start exploring then please visit the Glogster EDU home page at http://edu.glogster.com.

IMPORTANT: Currently a teacher who registers with Glogster EDU can create up to 200 student accounts. This will be changing to 100 starting March 1. Register now to lock in 200 accounts before March 1.

Stay tuned for how to documents and instructional screencasts.

Enjoy!

This topic is not typical for my postings but it is a topic that is of great interest to me. Jamie Oliver discusses how the food we eat is the number one killer in our nation. He explains how we need to start teaching kids about food to help solve this growing problem. He won the 2010 TED prize for his work in the area. I can think of a number of technology infused lessons that will cover this topic. Take a few minutes to listen to his speech.

I have been spending  a lot of time lately thinking about the  future of “the textbook”. During the holiday season that  just passed there was a lot of press about E-book readers. The most familiar are the  Amazon Kindle and the Barnes and Noble Nook. I am facinated with the possibilities of such a technology. For those of you that are not aware, these devices are e-book readers. E-books are digital copies of textbooks. They can be read on a reader that  is about the size of a paperback book. E-book readers can hold a large number of books. They have batteries that last for days and the screen is such that they can be read in any type of light.

I am immediately focussed on education. Can such a device replace our current textbooks? There are some immediate advantages. These devices are compact and portable. The cost of the texts are significantly cheaper. In the  consumer market a new release  best selling hard cover that typically sells for $25.00 is $9.99 in e-book format. Information in e-book format can be updated quite simply. All that is required is a simple update to be downloaded. When Pluto is not a planet anymore the textbook is updated the  next day!

Currently these readers sell for $200 to $400.  The average student textbook is $60-$80 a piece. That means that each student is carrying around $400-$500 worth of textbooks at a minimum. The real kicker is these books are not dynamic. The content is essentially old by the time it reaches  the student. It is not living!

E-books are not only limited to e-book readers. They can be read on laptops, netbooks,and smartphones. In considering the classroom environment i am not sure that a device like a Kindle is the answer for students. Is there more value in providing a student with a full blown laptop or netbook? There is obviously price differences to consider.

I am starting to think that none of these options is the answer. The technology we seek may not  be available yet. We need a device with all of the features of a kindle as well as the web and keyboarding accessibility of a laptop. It needs to be mobile, powerful and compact. However, it must not inhibit the productivity of a student because of its size constraints. Of course we can not forget it must be cheap.

I am excited to see the next generation of tablets that are coming to market. I am most interested in the Apple Tablet. This may be a device that can do what we need it to do within the constraints we need for a school implementation. The problem I see is the price point will still be above the reach of many schools….. for now anyway.

I envision  each student with a mobile device loaded with each core text. This text is 3-dimensional. Students can sift through pages while following links to multi-media clips, resources on the web, instructor added annotations and content, audio recordings, and collaborative tools. They can highlight, copy/paste, bookmark, share links with other students, and communicate with others directly in the device. This device will be inexpensive, wifi enabled, ultra-portable and just the right size (somewhere between a netbook and Kindle????? It will operate by touch and voice. This device will transform the classroom and how we view textbooks.

Jenuine Tech has opened up a new online project called “Everyone Counts“ The theme of the project is the US Census that will be happening this year. She has setup a website with information regarding the project. There are two question sheets that can be used as well as a number of extension activities. This seems like a great project to work on with your class. I have a few ideas regarding extension activities as well. Here is the link to the project information and registration info. I listed some extension activities that I thought were interesting.
http://www.jenuinetech.com/Projects/ec20/welcome.html

• Global Collaboration – We are starting to make a number of connections with schools in the US and overseas for video conferencing and collaboration. A comparison of census data that the students collect would be an interesting idea. I can help make the connection with another class. Jen also offers the opportunity to find another class through her Ning site.
• Math – The collection of census data is a great way to incorporate MS Excel into your curriculum. Students can add the data to a spreadsheet and create graphs to display and interpret the results
• Social Studies / Geography -After reviewing census data for locations students can take a trip on Google Earth to visit these locations. They can identify the type of community and take note of the physical characteristics of each location in relation to the census data (i.e suburban, vs. rural, vs. urban communities)
• This site has some ideas for teaching about the census in your classroom.   http://www.census.gov/schools

As always I am available to assist with and plan all stages of such a project! I would also appreciate it if you would share any additional ideas you have to add to this project.