In the past several years, the annual MBEA conferences that I attended have shared many Web 2.0 tools. I have tried several in my planning and added several to my classes. The reading this week from Chapter 10 covered some I already knew about and introduced me to several new ones but going into the listing of tools is Chapter 11 was exciting to me. Since starting the MET program, I have been able to learn more of the sites that I had heard about in the conferences. It takes time to learn how to use these tools and decide how to use in the classroom. I think because I "have" to use the programs as a student, I can justify spending the time it takes.
I teach a class this semester called "Technology Communications". This is our second computer class and I try to incorporate some desktop publishing, presentation sites, a little of web design and I am really kind of free to try anything that involves using technology to communicate. With that basis, the course content can be adjusted as I find new tools to add - one of the reasons Chapter 11 was exciting for me. My students are adding word clouds to their desktop publishing documents and using various sites for presentations - more advanced PowerPoint skills, PhotoStory, Prezi, MovieMaker, photo collages, Voki, etc.
After looking at the sites discussed from our reading this week, I decided I wanted to try one of the tools to be used for blogging or discussions. I've experimented with Edmodo and Moodle. Our school has Edline for class management which has a discussion option. For this assignment, I decided to try the PBWorks site. I set up a site and invited a colleague to be my "student" to see if I could get it to work. I was able to set up a discussion case study and she was able to respond. I would like to be able to get some type of discussion board set up for my Entrepreneurship class next year. I am hoping to incorporate case studies into the class and I think this would be a good real world experience for my students. We are going to try to have alumni in business work some with the class and it would be a great benefit if they could be involved in the discussion. Using an online tool like this would include all students, even those who are hesitant to participate in the classroom.
While researching uses of PBWorks, I also found a sample of a teacher who used it for online classes.
http://cappello.pbworks.com/w/page/11284393/FrontPage
Next year, I know that I will be teaching Accounting 2 as an independent study and this could be the option I need to work with that student.
Another example I found for this tool was a teacher colloboration site. Lessons were shared for all the teachers in a school on the site. This is a great way for all teachers to contribute and all students to have a variety of lessons presented .
http://mrswilchersprekclass.pbworks.com/w/page/21832740/FrontPage
Friday, February 22, 2013
Twitter Chatting
Before I jumped in and participated in a Twitter Chat, I decided to observe one a few days earlier. I observed a #flipclass chat and was surprised at the speed of the comments. It moved very quickly and seemed like there were several different conversations going on. It made it a little difficult to follow but I am glad I tried the experience as an observer before I became a participant.
The chat I choose to participate in was the #1to1techat which meets on Wednesday nights. I chose that group because I was hoping to gain some insight on being in a 1:1 classroom. This week's chat was about distractions in a 1:1 classroom and some possible solutions - exactly a topic I was looking for. It took me a while to get up to speed with the conversation. I would get interested in a conversation going on, follow it and then forget to respond or if I responded, would forget the #. I guess that is just a learning curve in using this tool. The participants seemed to all be truly encouraging about the 1:1 environment and offered several helpful ideas for me. They also talked about some of the same issues that I was concerned with, which made me think that I may be on the right track.
Discussions were about what constituted a distraction due to technology over distractions that aren't related to technology. Kids have been distracted in class forever - things are just changing. Possible solutions/consequences were shared. Most schools seem to have some type of discipline for misuse of technology already in place before the 1:1 classroom so it just involves some fine tuning of current policies. One of the main things discussed was that regardless of what causes a distraction, classroom management by the teacher is still important. Teachers with effective classroom management skills will adjust to incorporating 1:1. I picked up several ideas and will use them as I try to adjust to my 1:1 classes.
I used TweetDeck to follow the chat. I preview TwitterChat but went with what I already knew this time. I think that if I learn to use the TwitterChat site it might be easier for me to follow and respond. Also I think I just need to learn to use Twitter more.
The chat I choose to participate in was the #1to1techat which meets on Wednesday nights. I chose that group because I was hoping to gain some insight on being in a 1:1 classroom. This week's chat was about distractions in a 1:1 classroom and some possible solutions - exactly a topic I was looking for. It took me a while to get up to speed with the conversation. I would get interested in a conversation going on, follow it and then forget to respond or if I responded, would forget the #. I guess that is just a learning curve in using this tool. The participants seemed to all be truly encouraging about the 1:1 environment and offered several helpful ideas for me. They also talked about some of the same issues that I was concerned with, which made me think that I may be on the right track.
Discussions were about what constituted a distraction due to technology over distractions that aren't related to technology. Kids have been distracted in class forever - things are just changing. Possible solutions/consequences were shared. Most schools seem to have some type of discipline for misuse of technology already in place before the 1:1 classroom so it just involves some fine tuning of current policies. One of the main things discussed was that regardless of what causes a distraction, classroom management by the teacher is still important. Teachers with effective classroom management skills will adjust to incorporating 1:1. I picked up several ideas and will use them as I try to adjust to my 1:1 classes.
I used TweetDeck to follow the chat. I preview TwitterChat but went with what I already knew this time. I think that if I learn to use the TwitterChat site it might be easier for me to follow and respond. Also I think I just need to learn to use Twitter more.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Blog Post #4 - Social networking
I think this week's activity was a little more difficult for me. I know the social networking sites are extremely popular and many of my friends and colleagues use them. It is something that I just haven't got into. I don't Facebook and until this class, no Twitter. I do have a LinkedIn account but I don't use it that much. I think the closest thing that I use on a regular basis is being a member of the MBEA listserv. I definitely check in on those emails daily and correspond with other teachers by asking for help or answering requests from others.
For this assignment, I have requested to join a Ning. Something completely new to me. The Ning I joined is ipadeducators.ning.com. I am always on the lookout for any help I can get on ways to incorporate using the iPads in the classroom. Even though my request is still pending, I have been able to search through and begin to learn from others. This site has a weekly discussion and this week's topic is "What is your ideal iPad lesson?" Several people have shared activities and apps that they are using in the classroom. I am excited about what I can learn from the members of this group. Other components included are blogs, apps suggestions, tips and news articles. Several of these components offer suggestions for different types of learners.
Based on the reading this week, I am interested in the idea of creating a Ning for my classes. Thinking ahead, I could see having a Ning for the new Entrepreneurship class could be a fun and interesting way for the students to participate in a dialog about creating businesses and case studies. I hope to learn more about these so I can present the option and get approval from my administration to use it next year. We'll just have to wait and see.
For this assignment, I have requested to join a Ning. Something completely new to me. The Ning I joined is ipadeducators.ning.com. I am always on the lookout for any help I can get on ways to incorporate using the iPads in the classroom. Even though my request is still pending, I have been able to search through and begin to learn from others. This site has a weekly discussion and this week's topic is "What is your ideal iPad lesson?" Several people have shared activities and apps that they are using in the classroom. I am excited about what I can learn from the members of this group. Other components included are blogs, apps suggestions, tips and news articles. Several of these components offer suggestions for different types of learners.
Based on the reading this week, I am interested in the idea of creating a Ning for my classes. Thinking ahead, I could see having a Ning for the new Entrepreneurship class could be a fun and interesting way for the students to participate in a dialog about creating businesses and case studies. I hope to learn more about these so I can present the option and get approval from my administration to use it next year. We'll just have to wait and see.
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