Einstein says...

Let's Use Video to Reinvent Education

I recently got a longer cord in my classroom to connect my projector to my computer and let me tell you, it is blowing my students' minds. So many students are visual learners. By showing them clips of video to enhance lessons, they are so engaged! I love it. This is a TedTalk which discusses using Khan Academy and other resources to enhance education for students.

"Maybe this content will never go old... If Issak Newton would have done videos on calculus, I wouldn't have to."

"Teachers have used technology to humanize the classroom...a teacher, no matter how good, has to give lectures." These videos allow students to access lessons on their own time, in their own way."'

I love his metaphor of learning to ride a bicycle. If we provide no feedback and no practice, you may figure it out. You may be able to balance on two wheels, but you will be shaky and you may fall. When students have gaps in the beginning, then students will still have those gaps if they are not given practice. And if students still don't get it, we are forced to move on, to step up, to give them a metaphoric unicycle. The Khan academy and similar tools allow us to give students opportunities to experience mastery and supplement instruction--- to fill in those gaps!

Mentimeter

This is a tool for "interacting with your audience." It is an online survey-taker to engage students to participate by anonymously voting on their smart phone. Talk about an awesome way to engage students!

http://mentimeter.com/

ISTE Journal #3: "How to do More with Less"

Pape, L., Sheehan, T., & Worrell, C, (2012). How to Do More with Less. Lessons from Online Learning. Learning and Leading with Technology. 39(6).

In the article, “How to do More with Less: Lessons from Online Learning,” (2012) authors Liz Pape, Tracy Sheehan, and Colleen Worrell, explain ways for educators to juggle the responsibilities of delivering digital-age instruction and incorporating more students with the limited resources available to educators in the times of budget crises (p.18). The authors recommend the following: “Make time” and “Free the resources, with multiple examples from real classrooms (pp. 18-22).

The authors’ recommendations were progressive in their capabilities to reach today’s learners. Recommendations included stretching the learning day to the home environment through video teacher demonstrations, using web tools to engage and give academic choices, and post assignments to allow for student organization (p. 19). Through blogs, students have the opportunity to use a different way of demonstrating mastery in an engaging way. Blogs are also used as a way for peers to engage in an academic dialogue through comments. Wikis “promote collaboration skills and creativity by enabling groups to work together and create and publish a work online (p.19). It allows them opportunities to be authors. Social bookmarking tools allow students to organize research and “share information, collaborate, and discuss” (p.20). Among the most useful are the tools for creative expression, such as Prezi, a PowerPoint-like tool with 3D capabilities, My Fake Wall, a fake Facebook for fictional or historic figures, and Fotobabble, a photo uploading website which includes dialoguing capabilities (p.20).

I agree that, in a time when budgets are tight, we need to look at what we can do. It is useless to say, “We do not have what we need,” because it will not solve the issue. Instead, educators need to be aware of what is out there that we can use and that others are using. I specifically like the example of “digital storytelling” in Jeanie Keyes-Plant’s class (p.20), in which students created their digital narratives including multimedia presentations. As a function of behavior, I know that giving choice to students, especially students with special needs, is a valuable tool in fostering success.

This article aligns with the NETS standards of “Facilitating Student Learning and Creativity” as well as “Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments.” I will absolutely follow up with the authors’ recommendations in my own classroom.

ISTE Journal #2: "Think Outside the Book"

Carney, K. (2011). Think Outside the Book. Learning and Leading with Technology, 39(1), 10- 14.

In the article, “Think Outside the Book,” (2011), Kevin Carney, the author, argues that there is more learning to be had outside of the learning provided in a textbook. Carney states it in this way, “Too many students are not being taught to master state standards, particularly those not being covered in their textbooks. Too many are not learning the basics, are not achieving on standardized and ACT tests, and are not leaving school with the skills necessary for success in a worldwide economy” (p.11). Carney recommends supplementing the curriculum with digital resources.

Using the example of the Vail Colorado School District, Carney models his recommendations through the district’s success. Specifically, Carney recommends “inverting the curriculum,” which meant that they began with the standards and from there decided how they should be taught. This is a change from starting with the book and seeing which standards are included (p.11). Next, Carney recommends “Organizing the Content,” in which he described the process of seeking appropriate resources according to the students (pp. 11-12). Carney highlights the importance of collaboration in this process, naming it one of our most important resources. The author is also careful to highlight the fact that he is not recommending “abandonment of traditional textbooks but rather a philosophy of learning and teaching that transcends textbooks and state standards to strengthen support for communities of teachers, facilitate learning and teaching, and improve student growth and achievement” (p.12).

Carney’s advice is absolutely essential to address as educators. Due to budget cuts and the selection of textbooks by others, we are not always able to choose the book that we feel is needed to best support our students. I agree that books do not always connect to standards and we can use online and other resources to help. In looking at Carney’s arguments, I could not help but think that he also should have addressed the need for extra resources to fit students’ needs. This means needs relevant to special requirements, language variations, and other exceptionalities.

This aligns with the NETS according to “Model Digital Work and Learning” due to Carney’s dedication to meeting academic standards. Specifically, knowing that we are teaching learners who have constant input from digital sources, we can meet their needs in this way.

ISTE Journal Blog #1: "Grow Your Personal Learning Network"

Warlick, D. (2009). Grow your personal learning network: New technologies can keep you connected and help you manage information overload. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(6), 12-16. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.csusm.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/61798426?accountid=10363

In the article, “Grow your Personal Learning Network: New Technologies Can Keep you Connected and Help you Manage Information Overload,” author, David Warlick (2009) argues that educators need to embrace online personal networks in order to “supplement our knowledge about the world” (p. 13). The “world” Warlick describes is the world that our students live in. Educators need to be aware of the support system of professional colleagues beyond their own families, friends and school walls.

Warlick recommends following a small amount of blogs at first, in order to focus on each and to maintain sanity. Next, he recommends organizing the blogs by topic or frequency. In terms of new content, Warlick recommends finding what is needed and then “severing the line” (p. 14). Warlick explores the different types of PLNs to let educators know which type they might relate to most, such as social bookmarking, personally maintained semi synchronous connections and dynamically maintained asynchronous connections (pp. 13-14). Lastly, Warlick invites the conversation of “cultivating your network.” I was impressed by the tone of growth as a theme throughout the article. I agree wholeheartedly that educators must use personal networks to constantly desire personal growth and improvement.

Personally, I connect with Warlick’s idea about starting small. When I look at other educator’s blogs, all I can think is, “holy cow, where do you find the time?” It is much more manageable to subscribe to one or two valuable sites in order to soak up the benefits. I am absolutely interested in growing my Personal Learning Network, so this was a valuable tool to get started.

This article aligns with the NETS Standard V: “Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership.” By encouraging growth of Professional Networks, Warlick is inspiring educators to spread their roots far and deep.

Cyber Safety 101- all you need to know!

Some tips for educators and students in terms of CYBER BULLYING, IDENTITY SAFETY, ONLINE PREDATORS, and SMART PHONE SAFETY.

Click HERE to visit our website (by Sara Zook, Katie Sullivan, Hannah Butler, Ismael Hernandez)