The Final Countdown....

Wrapping it up 'Socially'

As an educator, I have shied away towards Facebook use and was unsure how it could be effectively used in the classroom as a learning tool; not just a place to post 'check out what's happening now'.  After reading most of Will Richardson's book Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Webs Tools for Classroom (most specifically Chapter 9 for this post), I can better envision social networking sites like Facebook and Ning as an integral part of classroom communication - especially outside of the classroom.  Perhaps integrated into homework assignments or a flipped classroom.  I still have a long way to go in terms of truly opening up to social networks, but the concept is becoming more clear and relevant.

Phew - Digital Story posted!

Using PowerPoint for Digital Stories

Today, I felt I earned a 'win'.  I posted a final assignment onto my course wiki.  This was a project I was excited about and having a fun time creating.  Along the way, I learned some tech lessons about how 'to' and how 'not to' integrate technology programs.  I tried to keep my frustration under 'check' and reminded myself of some good advice I was given a while back regarding technology.  I was once told by a wise tech-savvy friend to slow down and think about what I want to do.  Rather than jumping in, becoming agitated, and giving up.  Great advice!  In the end, here is what I learned. 

I chose to use PowerPoint because of the interactive and animated features it can incorporate.  PowerPoint allows you to incorporate unique transitions and animate text boxes and images.  You can record audio within PowerPoint, but I chose to use audacity to allow me to edit the sound and clip where needed.  After creating the slides and importing my audio, including music and sound effects, I recorded the PowerPoint in play mode using Camtasia.  Camtasia is a fun program and allows you to capture screencasts of whatever is being viewed on the screen.  You can download a 30 day free trial and it is well worth it! One nice feature is that when it's downloaded, you have the option to also install buttons directly accessible in PowerPoint.  I was able to publish straight to YouTube with Camtasia.  Finally, grabbing the embed code from the video, I could place the video in my wiki. 

I think that about sums it up.   Hopefully, this will help someone out in the future.

Twitter Learning

Evolving Mindset...

In Chapter 6 of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools  for the Classroom, Will Richardson shares some enlightening information about Twitter.  I have definitely understood the potential of Twitter for collaboration with colleagues at or during conferences, in PLN's for educators, or in viewing quick news blurbs.  However, as a general skeptic of social media, I have been leary about integrating Twitter into the classroom.  Mr. Richardson (along with this course) has helped to evolve my mindset....it would definitely be worth trying!

Learn and Teach about Creative Commons

'Creative Commons'...

...are important sharing attributions that we need to emphasize when our students are not only doing research, but also creating their own work.  Especially online - where works can be accessed quite easily.  The image below (provided by the website 'Educational Technology and Mobile Learning') provides a great overview of what Creative Commons is, how it is useful for research, and how it can be applied to personal creations.

Simply Fun and Engaging!

colAR MIX

If you haven't heard of this app, this is one to check out.  Especially if you have or teach younger children.  This app provides you with coloring pages to print out, color, and then photograph using the specific app.  By the amazement of technology, the picture comes to life!  I can just imagine my own kids being amazed at their drawing dancing around. 

I'm not sure of the actual educational application for this software...but...I'm excited to try it out!

Check out the iTunes link:
colAR MIX

Evolution of the 'Sage'

23 Roles of the 21st Century Educator

Stephen Downes blogs about these 23 Roles in a brief article that efficiently summarizes why this evolution has occurred in such a rapid time.  Stephen describes the role of the teacher and states,  "From the sage on the stage to the facilitator and coordinator" and, it seems, the technology currently available definitely supports and, most probably, has encouraged that transition.  By allowing this transformation in teaching to happen, by adapting to the changes that come with it, and by positively supporting students in this new environment, we are ultimately empowering students to take ownership in their learning and creation of knowledge.

Thinglink

I read a blog posting by Wesley Fryer posted on July 11, 2013 on his Moving at the Speed of Creativity.  It provided a great resource that combines a typical photo with innovative interactions.

Click here to link out to the article. 

Mr. Fryer's post about Thinglink provided a great resource for all teachers - those of both young and older students.  A great way to combine media with writing, research, and reflections!

Creating Sizzle!

Gregory Webster, a first year teacher, wrote for Edutopia an article about engagement - making lessons sizzle.  I thought it was great that in the first paragraph, he writes, "As a first-year teacher, I saw a good number of my lessons fizzle out."  That type of realization is so hard to accept, but once you do, as a teacher (perhaps in life as well), you realize - it's OK to fizzle and it's the only way to learn how to sizzle.  Thank you, George, for putting that out there! 

Through education, learning, trying out lessons, testing ideas, and adhering to carefully chosen methods sizzling success will come. 

"Poem" Is Not a Four-Letter Word

Global Genius Hour

Students Taking Charge of Learning

I learned of this link through Andrew Mikolajczak's EDU 653 Blog and it is very powerful!  Thank you, Andrew, for sharing it.  In the article:

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/20-percent-time-a-j-juliani?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29

A.J. Juliani states, "I've also seen the making of these adults in schools across our country: students who are consistently being "prepared" for the next test, assessment, or grade level . . . only to find out after graduation that they don't really know what they are passionate about."

 Incorporating the '20% passion-driven-student-choice-project time' could be the key to integrating 100% of students in school.   

Teaching for Long Term Memories

Great Teachers Don't Teach

The main ideas of this blog by Ben Johnson (posted on June 28, 2013) resonated with me.  To learn, the students must do something (Johnson, 2013).  Johnson speaks of his amazing psychology professor who immersed him in experiential learning creating long-term memories and lasting impressions.  He was a student experiencing what needed to be learned.  Through this, he understood and remembered. 

Considering the title of this article and the ideas presented within it (Socratic method, project based learning, performance learning), we all as educators must reflect on how we are engaging our students.  And, beyond that, if we are engaging through experiences that will create those long-term memories.

Flickr- not to be ignored

I had no idea the capabilities of Flickr, not just in a social media lover's repertoire of online sharing, but also within the classroom.  Reading the chapter on Flickr from Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms (Richardson, 2010), opened my eyes to this world.  Let me also say that I have known Flickr...as a photo sharing tool...not as a interactive Web 2.0 tool.

Click here to link out to Flickr

Using Flickr in combination with Jing allows you to easily capture images, while of course, being mindful of the copyright associated with the photo. The resources are abundant and the ideas are endless on how to use Flickr in the classroom.

...imagine a collaborative project, perhaps with a classroom across the country, discussing the ideas of a science topic or historical event and focused around one image.  That image can collect comments on it or around it.  Students would make connections not only with the ideas of the content, but also with peers thousands of miles away.

Any other ideas?