What does he future look like for education? One thing that we can be certain of is that technology will continue to grow and be more prominent in classrooms than it is today. No doubt about it. The no cell phones allowed classrooms are disappearing while the BYOD classrooms are taking over. I think this is a great thing for education, considering all the benefits that technology can bring to the table.
The question is, what kinds of technology will we be seeing in the next few years? The NMC Horizon Report: K-12 edition (linked below) identifies and describes 6 emerging technologies that are expected to have a large impact on teaching and learning within education. These are:
1. Cloud Computing
2. Mobiles
3. Game-Based Learning
4. Learning Analytics
5. PLE's
6. Open Content
The item I was happy to see on that list was game-based learning. I am an advocate for this; I think it has a lot of merit. Games are a great way to get the students engaged in their learning. Often games will provide the repetition needed when learning and practising a skill, as well as the instant feedback. It is a great way to adhere to different learning styles as well. This reminded me of the video I put on my previous blog, of the very technologically enhanced classroom. In that video the teacher talked about a couple of different web-based game programs he uses for teaching math. And didn't it look convincing?! The horizon report suggests that games in education can be a great way to engage the learners in ways that other tools and approaches simply cannot. Also according to the report education still appears slightly hesitant on adopting game-based learning as mainstream practice, but it is definitely on the radar as something to watch for! I find this exciting because I do think they are valuable.
http://www.nmc.org/horizon-project/horizon-reports/horizon-report-k-12-edition
You never know what is really in store for education in the future. But if these things really are a premonition of the future, I feel good about that! Only time will tell.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Final Class Post
Looks like classes have come to an end. And this time when I say end, I literally mean the end. Because I am FINALLY graduating! I have spent the last 6 years attending Brandon University, and while it was great, I am happy the end is here. I now get to move on to the next stage of my life... the "grown-up" stage... a career... Yikes! I am very excited to start creating my presence in the world, meet people, and hopefully soon have a job in the career I have always wanted.
All that being said.. it looks like this will be my last blog post. About classes anyway! I hope to continue on with blogging during my placement as well as afterward. After all that is one of my technological goals. I think my learning in this course is summed up pretty well in my summative project, which I have included below. Of course I have a lot more to say about my learning... but I was on a time crunch! Ah well if not in the slideshow at least I talked about my other learning in previous blog posts! A special thanks to Tyler, who helped me in the uploading to Slideshare process! Anyway, watch and enjoy!
As I said in the end:
Thank-you to Mike. For 2 years now you have passed on your expertise in the field of technology, and I appreciate it a lot. I would not know most of this had it not been for these courses.
Thank-you to my classmates of Internet for Educators. You have also provided me with tons of valuable information, provided lively discussions, and of course provided tons of delicious snacks. Good luck in your upcoming placements, and good luck to you next year as well!
And to my fellow graduates... WE MADE IT! It has been a very entertaining and memorable 2 years, and I wish you all the best of luck in your future job search. Congratulations to you all!
All that being said.. it looks like this will be my last blog post. About classes anyway! I hope to continue on with blogging during my placement as well as afterward. After all that is one of my technological goals. I think my learning in this course is summed up pretty well in my summative project, which I have included below. Of course I have a lot more to say about my learning... but I was on a time crunch! Ah well if not in the slideshow at least I talked about my other learning in previous blog posts! A special thanks to Tyler, who helped me in the uploading to Slideshare process! Anyway, watch and enjoy!
As I said in the end:
Thank-you to Mike. For 2 years now you have passed on your expertise in the field of technology, and I appreciate it a lot. I would not know most of this had it not been for these courses.
Thank-you to my classmates of Internet for Educators. You have also provided me with tons of valuable information, provided lively discussions, and of course provided tons of delicious snacks. Good luck in your upcoming placements, and good luck to you next year as well!
And to my fellow graduates... WE MADE IT! It has been a very entertaining and memorable 2 years, and I wish you all the best of luck in your future job search. Congratulations to you all!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Video in the classroom
Using video in the classroom - love the idea. Video's are a great way to enhance the lesson you are teaching. It can act as a fun activating activity, an enhancing acquiring activity, etc. Whether it's showing the students a video or having the students create one, the learning opportunities are always there.
After reading Kirsten's blog I started thinking about how video was used back when I was in school. To go back in time to my elementary years, I don't remember being exposed to much video in the classroom. I remember using the TV to watch movies on fun days... but that's about all. Of course this could be because the school did not have all the technology that schools have now. When I got to high school this changed a little bit. Some teachers would bring in videos about certain topics covered in class, such as mitosis in Biology. However these were not what I would consider good videos by any means. They were very boring, not engaging at all. And still, is this because technology was not as readily available back then as it is now? Perhaps the use of devices and the internet (videos included) in the classroom just weren't seen as useful.
Whatever the case, I think it is great that things have changed. In education technology is being used a lot more, and this includes online video. That being said , do I know a ton of good video sites seeing as I am completely on board for this? Sadly no, I do not! I wish I did. Thanks to all of my classmates' blogs I certainly know more now than I did though!
BrainPOPJr. : This is a website that I have already mentioned in my show and tell, but again I used it all the time. I found a ton of great videos that I used in the classroom on there. I definitely recommend it; a ton of engaging videos for the early years classroom on a large variety of topics.
Below is a video showing a very innovative classroom, taken from edutopia.org. This teacher uses technology to differentiate his instruction. He uses a lot of interactive games in math, particularly the programs Planet Turtle and Dreambox. He has the students go on these sites to practice their math skills. He encourages not only the use of the computers, but also the use of different strategies that are best for the students. He has tons of devices in his classroom including lap tops, iPod touches, and iPads. Technologically inspiring!
Differentiating Instruction Through Interactive Games (Tech2Learn Series) | Edutopia
This next video is purely for your enjoyment. Might just be my favourite video right now.
Love it.
After reading Kirsten's blog I started thinking about how video was used back when I was in school. To go back in time to my elementary years, I don't remember being exposed to much video in the classroom. I remember using the TV to watch movies on fun days... but that's about all. Of course this could be because the school did not have all the technology that schools have now. When I got to high school this changed a little bit. Some teachers would bring in videos about certain topics covered in class, such as mitosis in Biology. However these were not what I would consider good videos by any means. They were very boring, not engaging at all. And still, is this because technology was not as readily available back then as it is now? Perhaps the use of devices and the internet (videos included) in the classroom just weren't seen as useful.
Whatever the case, I think it is great that things have changed. In education technology is being used a lot more, and this includes online video. That being said , do I know a ton of good video sites seeing as I am completely on board for this? Sadly no, I do not! I wish I did. Thanks to all of my classmates' blogs I certainly know more now than I did though!
BrainPOPJr. : This is a website that I have already mentioned in my show and tell, but again I used it all the time. I found a ton of great videos that I used in the classroom on there. I definitely recommend it; a ton of engaging videos for the early years classroom on a large variety of topics.
Below is a video showing a very innovative classroom, taken from edutopia.org. This teacher uses technology to differentiate his instruction. He uses a lot of interactive games in math, particularly the programs Planet Turtle and Dreambox. He has the students go on these sites to practice their math skills. He encourages not only the use of the computers, but also the use of different strategies that are best for the students. He has tons of devices in his classroom including lap tops, iPod touches, and iPads. Technologically inspiring!
Differentiating Instruction Through Interactive Games (Tech2Learn Series) | Edutopia
This next video is purely for your enjoyment. Might just be my favourite video right now.
Love it.
Podcasts: Listening to Learn!
Podcasts are a great tool for professional development. In fact I have recently learned that it is one of the better ones in my opinion, because of its efficiency. All you need to do is listen to learn! Listen to it at home on the couch, while you're doing dishes, while you're doing laundry, while you're gaming (Scott), and so on. But honestly, had it not been for this course as well as getting an iPad, I likely would never have explored podcasts. Now that I have explored I see the benefits and the potential they offer.
How can you use podcasts in the classroom? The way I see podcasts being used is as part of a learning venter, or as an assessment tool. Podcasts are a great option when differentiating instruction, to accommodate the auditory Learners. I see it being used during reading time; students can listen to stories rather than reading them silently to themselves. By doing this the students are being exposed to stories in a different way, they are able to hear fluent and expressive reading, and are able to create their own images of the story in their minds. Podcasts would also be a good way to assess a students listening comprehension as well. I think podcasts could also be used as a different and fun way to assess students learning. Have the students create their own podcast. By doing this the students can share what they have learned about a certain topic. This could also be done for students reading. Many different options!
The problem I am having is with finding a podcast channel which consists of reading story books. I think this would be useful for my upcoming placement in a kindergarten room; using it in the way I described above (listening center). Does this exist?! Does anybody know of one? Maybe I am just not an efficient 'searcher' because I just can't find one. I would love to hear about any that you know of readers! Thanks!
A podcast that I subscribe to is entitled: K=12 Greatest Hits: The Best Ideas in Education. It discusses a lot of great topics in education. One podcast I recently listened to was called Keeping up with the Pace of Education Technology. I happened to stumble across this one when checking my updates and thought, hey I might as well see what they have to say since I am trying to learn more about technology! Turned out to be an interesting talk! The discussion was about the increased rate at which new technology is being introduced into education. Concerns were voiced about the older population and how it takes them longer to acquire new information; opposing forces at work. They spoke about the 2 factors in technology adoption: perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. The part that I found most relevant to me was when they offered advice, in terms of how to ease yourself into technology usage. Twitter was suggested, as a means of finding good online resources (by following other educators). It was also suggested to find a partner; someone you can trust, to explore with and work with, who can both help you and learn with you.
Check it out!
How can you use podcasts in the classroom? The way I see podcasts being used is as part of a learning venter, or as an assessment tool. Podcasts are a great option when differentiating instruction, to accommodate the auditory Learners. I see it being used during reading time; students can listen to stories rather than reading them silently to themselves. By doing this the students are being exposed to stories in a different way, they are able to hear fluent and expressive reading, and are able to create their own images of the story in their minds. Podcasts would also be a good way to assess a students listening comprehension as well. I think podcasts could also be used as a different and fun way to assess students learning. Have the students create their own podcast. By doing this the students can share what they have learned about a certain topic. This could also be done for students reading. Many different options!
The problem I am having is with finding a podcast channel which consists of reading story books. I think this would be useful for my upcoming placement in a kindergarten room; using it in the way I described above (listening center). Does this exist?! Does anybody know of one? Maybe I am just not an efficient 'searcher' because I just can't find one. I would love to hear about any that you know of readers! Thanks!
A podcast that I subscribe to is entitled: K=12 Greatest Hits: The Best Ideas in Education. It discusses a lot of great topics in education. One podcast I recently listened to was called Keeping up with the Pace of Education Technology. I happened to stumble across this one when checking my updates and thought, hey I might as well see what they have to say since I am trying to learn more about technology! Turned out to be an interesting talk! The discussion was about the increased rate at which new technology is being introduced into education. Concerns were voiced about the older population and how it takes them longer to acquire new information; opposing forces at work. They spoke about the 2 factors in technology adoption: perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. The part that I found most relevant to me was when they offered advice, in terms of how to ease yourself into technology usage. Twitter was suggested, as a means of finding good online resources (by following other educators). It was also suggested to find a partner; someone you can trust, to explore with and work with, who can both help you and learn with you.
Check it out!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Presentations: Great job everybody!
Last class consisted of group presentations, which were all very well done! I left the class having tons of things to think about. The snacks were also amazing; delicious cookies, thank you! And now that I mention that I realize that I haven't mentioned snacks in any other blog post! That being said I will say it now: thank you to everyone for bringing snacks! They have all been so great, I love leaving class with a good sugar high!
Anyway to get back on track here. I liked seeing how everyone chose a different way to present their information. Just goes to show how many great tools are out there! My quick thoughts and appreciations on the presentations:
- BYOD: I thought using Today's Meet during the presentation was a really good idea! I had completely forgotten about that tool, which I now remember learning about in Devin Caldwell's PD. In a school that allows BYOD this would be a great tool to use in the classroom. Thanks for the reminder! Also really liked the infographic used to represent the stats; quick and to the point, and attractive!
- The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: It was interesting to hear about the bad aspects of the internet. But I was happy to see that the good aspects outweighed the negative in the end! You gave a great list of GOOD resources too. Thanks!
- Should Schools use Filters? : Thanks to this presentation I now have two new tools to add to my toolbox: Glogster and Padlet. Glogster looks like a really neat way to make a presentation. I will have to try that out. Padlet would be great to use in the classroom; I hope to try that too!
- How Not to Steal From the Internet : First off, awesome video at the beginning! This was a great topic because I am sure it is relevant to everyone. I know that I am guilty of stealing from the Internet, in terms of citing (unintentionally of course!), especially when I think back to high school. Thank you for creating the website with all this information. I am sure it will come in handy for me!
Thanks again everybody for the great presentations!
Looking forward to tomorrow's class... Mmmmm Chilli Chutney's. And tech help!
Anyway to get back on track here. I liked seeing how everyone chose a different way to present their information. Just goes to show how many great tools are out there! My quick thoughts and appreciations on the presentations:
- BYOD: I thought using Today's Meet during the presentation was a really good idea! I had completely forgotten about that tool, which I now remember learning about in Devin Caldwell's PD. In a school that allows BYOD this would be a great tool to use in the classroom. Thanks for the reminder! Also really liked the infographic used to represent the stats; quick and to the point, and attractive!
- The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: It was interesting to hear about the bad aspects of the internet. But I was happy to see that the good aspects outweighed the negative in the end! You gave a great list of GOOD resources too. Thanks!
- Should Schools use Filters? : Thanks to this presentation I now have two new tools to add to my toolbox: Glogster and Padlet. Glogster looks like a really neat way to make a presentation. I will have to try that out. Padlet would be great to use in the classroom; I hope to try that too!
- How Not to Steal From the Internet : First off, awesome video at the beginning! This was a great topic because I am sure it is relevant to everyone. I know that I am guilty of stealing from the Internet, in terms of citing (unintentionally of course!), especially when I think back to high school. Thank you for creating the website with all this information. I am sure it will come in handy for me!
Thanks again everybody for the great presentations!
Looking forward to tomorrow's class... Mmmmm Chilli Chutney's. And tech help!
Show and Tell
So... I still consider myself a bit of a newbie when it comes to the iPad and apps. I have not explored a lot of apps yet; I mainly stick with downloading the ones that are free. I will admit I download a lot of games... due to no cost! I find that many of the good educational apps are not free. Because of this I was a little worried about having something awesome to share! I have awesome games of course, like Jurassic Park and Candy Crush.
But after widening my scope a bit, I thought about tools/sites that I have seen on the internet, and a couple came to mind (other than all of the great ones I have already learned about in this class and last years ICT class). During my last student teaching placement, I attended a few staff meetings. At these meetings teachers would share different apps or websites that they had found useful, just like a show and and tell! It was a great idea. After attending one of these meetings I started using some of the online apps that were discussed, and now I love them! And now I will share them with you; keep the learning train going!
http://www.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/home_tumblebooks.asp
- This is a website that any one can use for free. It is basically a library of picture books, all of which include audio. So you can just click on it, and the book will be read aloud. You also have the option of muting it, if you would like to read the book to the students. Sometimes I would use this at the end of the day, to settle the students down a little bit before home time. I turned off the lights and the students would listen; they enjoyed it, it was relaxing!
http://www.online-stopwatch.com/
- This is a really great tool available online. It can be googled easily (online stopwatch) or you can click on the link here. It is simple, but I have found that the students go nuts over it. Basically it provides a bunch of different kinds of timers. I would use this in the classroom when we were doing a short activity and the students had limited time. As you can imagine.. ."5,4,3,2,1!!!!!!!!!!" They would all scream at the end. A little crazy at the end, but that's why it's great; just adds a little fun!
BrainPOPJr.
I was introduced to BrainPOP as a website, but recently I found that it does have an App in the iTunes Store as well. The app is free! There is a free trial available, but then I believe you need to subscribe. This website provides TONS of short animated videos on different subject areas. I used this during my last placement when I was doing a healthy body unit. I pulled up videos about washing your hands, brushing your teeth, etc. The students enjoyed the characters and really listened to the information; provided a great activating activity.
Thanks to everyone for sharing their apps as well, I have already added some new ones to my iPad and checked some out online!
But after widening my scope a bit, I thought about tools/sites that I have seen on the internet, and a couple came to mind (other than all of the great ones I have already learned about in this class and last years ICT class). During my last student teaching placement, I attended a few staff meetings. At these meetings teachers would share different apps or websites that they had found useful, just like a show and and tell! It was a great idea. After attending one of these meetings I started using some of the online apps that were discussed, and now I love them! And now I will share them with you; keep the learning train going!
http://www.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/home_tumblebooks.asp
- This is a website that any one can use for free. It is basically a library of picture books, all of which include audio. So you can just click on it, and the book will be read aloud. You also have the option of muting it, if you would like to read the book to the students. Sometimes I would use this at the end of the day, to settle the students down a little bit before home time. I turned off the lights and the students would listen; they enjoyed it, it was relaxing!
http://www.online-stopwatch.com/
- This is a really great tool available online. It can be googled easily (online stopwatch) or you can click on the link here. It is simple, but I have found that the students go nuts over it. Basically it provides a bunch of different kinds of timers. I would use this in the classroom when we were doing a short activity and the students had limited time. As you can imagine.. ."5,4,3,2,1!!!!!!!!!!" They would all scream at the end. A little crazy at the end, but that's why it's great; just adds a little fun!
BrainPOPJr.
I was introduced to BrainPOP as a website, but recently I found that it does have an App in the iTunes Store as well. The app is free! There is a free trial available, but then I believe you need to subscribe. This website provides TONS of short animated videos on different subject areas. I used this during my last placement when I was doing a healthy body unit. I pulled up videos about washing your hands, brushing your teeth, etc. The students enjoyed the characters and really listened to the information; provided a great activating activity.
Thanks to everyone for sharing their apps as well, I have already added some new ones to my iPad and checked some out online!
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Donald Girouard and Sophia Palahicky: WebBased Courses
Recently we had 2 consultants from Manitoba Education come in to speak to our class about web-based courses. They discussed the advantages of web-based courses, for both the students and the teachers. They also explained the 4 ways to use WBC's: as a teacher resource, with a face-to-face class, with distance Learners, and as part of a mixed learning environment. Sophia and Donald also described the tool Manitoba Blackboard, and give us a tour. While writing this blog I took a few minutes to explore the site as well. I previewed as a guest, so I assume I saw the site from a students point of view. From what I saw it seems very student friendly; very organized and clear. I can definitely see the benefit of using Blackboard, even in the regular classroom as part of a mixed environment. This would allow students to have access to what is going on in class, if they ended to be away.
I have never taken a web-based course. I am not even sure if I had that option when I was in high school. I did consider taking distance courses during the summer months of university, but never did. I doubted myself, thinking that if I were able to go at my own pace to get the assignments done, I would not be successful. Simply because I am a procrastinator. I also thought that I wouldn't get as much out of the course taking it by distance education then I would in a face to face course. But after hearing Sophia and Donald speak about web-based courses and their lets, they sound much better than how I pictured them years ago!
On the topic of web-based courses: While I was browsing around and looking at infographics for my previous blog, I happened to stumble upon one about online education. It compares online teaching and regular classroom teaching, with a definite favouritism for online education. Have a look at it:
http://infographicsmania.com/online-vs-classroom-education/
Thanks to Sophia and Donald for coming in to talk about the aspects and advantages of web-based courses. This is definitely an area of education I'd like to learn more about!
I have never taken a web-based course. I am not even sure if I had that option when I was in high school. I did consider taking distance courses during the summer months of university, but never did. I doubted myself, thinking that if I were able to go at my own pace to get the assignments done, I would not be successful. Simply because I am a procrastinator. I also thought that I wouldn't get as much out of the course taking it by distance education then I would in a face to face course. But after hearing Sophia and Donald speak about web-based courses and their lets, they sound much better than how I pictured them years ago!
On the topic of web-based courses: While I was browsing around and looking at infographics for my previous blog, I happened to stumble upon one about online education. It compares online teaching and regular classroom teaching, with a definite favouritism for online education. Have a look at it:
http://infographicsmania.com/online-vs-classroom-education/
Thanks to Sophia and Donald for coming in to talk about the aspects and advantages of web-based courses. This is definitely an area of education I'd like to learn more about!
Infographics: My new Love!
Dear Infographics,
Where have you been all my life?!
Thank you once again to Mike, for introducing me to yet another great new idea! I love infographics; such a creative way to display information. It's not that I haven't seen infographics before, because I know I have... mainly on Pinterest (haha..). I think it's just new to me because I never attached this name to the visuals before now. I also never thought about using these kinds of visuals as an educational resource. Now that I have thought about these things and looked at tons of different infographics, they are my newfound love! An infographic can tell tons of information while being interesting and visually appealing. I would take an infographic over a PowerPoint presentation any day!
As I was browsing the internet looking at different infographics to go off of in order to create my own, I came across this website: Infographics Mania: http://infographicsmania.com/
This website has TONS of infographics on a lot of different topic areas; some informative, some funny, and all are very well done. Here are a couple that I found interesting:
1. http://infographicsmania.com/social-media-in-education/
2. http://infographicsmania.com/green-lifestyle/
I think this would be an excellent idea to use in the classroom. This may be a tricky task to do with early years students, but I think that introducing this idea to middle and senior years students would be great. There are tons of ways to integrate infographics into the classroom, and many purposeful reasons for students to create their own. For example, students could create an infographic as a way to present information that they have learned, say from a research project. This just gives the students another opportunity to showcase their creativity, as well as showcase what they have learned. As a plus, it gives the teacher a way to assess their learning! I think it's a great way to incorporate those different learning styles as well. Many students out there are visual learners, and they need to be reached too! The only trouble I am having is thinking of ways to incorporate these into the early years classroom, because I would love to use them in my class. I know that I can show my students infographics which highlight the topic areas that I am teaching. But how do I help them to create their own? Based on the examples I have seen I think it would be too difficult for them to create these on the computer. Perhaps I could allow them to create one using the old-fashioned option of pen and paper? This way they still have the opportunity to be creative, as well as the option of showing me what they have learned in a different way. Hm.. options to think about! If you have any ideas as to how to use these in the early years classroom, I would love to hear them as well!
All that being said, I took a stab at creating my own. I am sad to report that I was having a lot of difficulty doing this! It is probably just my poor tech skills coming into play. I tried using infogr.am and visual.ly. Both of them were giving me trouble. Is it just me?! Looks like I am going to have to ask my tech problem solver for help again! Thanks in advance Scott!
Infographic yet to come
Where have you been all my life?!
Thank you once again to Mike, for introducing me to yet another great new idea! I love infographics; such a creative way to display information. It's not that I haven't seen infographics before, because I know I have... mainly on Pinterest (haha..). I think it's just new to me because I never attached this name to the visuals before now. I also never thought about using these kinds of visuals as an educational resource. Now that I have thought about these things and looked at tons of different infographics, they are my newfound love! An infographic can tell tons of information while being interesting and visually appealing. I would take an infographic over a PowerPoint presentation any day!
As I was browsing the internet looking at different infographics to go off of in order to create my own, I came across this website: Infographics Mania: http://infographicsmania.com/
This website has TONS of infographics on a lot of different topic areas; some informative, some funny, and all are very well done. Here are a couple that I found interesting:
1. http://infographicsmania.com/social-media-in-education/
2. http://infographicsmania.com/green-lifestyle/
I think this would be an excellent idea to use in the classroom. This may be a tricky task to do with early years students, but I think that introducing this idea to middle and senior years students would be great. There are tons of ways to integrate infographics into the classroom, and many purposeful reasons for students to create their own. For example, students could create an infographic as a way to present information that they have learned, say from a research project. This just gives the students another opportunity to showcase their creativity, as well as showcase what they have learned. As a plus, it gives the teacher a way to assess their learning! I think it's a great way to incorporate those different learning styles as well. Many students out there are visual learners, and they need to be reached too! The only trouble I am having is thinking of ways to incorporate these into the early years classroom, because I would love to use them in my class. I know that I can show my students infographics which highlight the topic areas that I am teaching. But how do I help them to create their own? Based on the examples I have seen I think it would be too difficult for them to create these on the computer. Perhaps I could allow them to create one using the old-fashioned option of pen and paper? This way they still have the opportunity to be creative, as well as the option of showing me what they have learned in a different way. Hm.. options to think about! If you have any ideas as to how to use these in the early years classroom, I would love to hear them as well!
All that being said, I took a stab at creating my own. I am sad to report that I was having a lot of difficulty doing this! It is probably just my poor tech skills coming into play. I tried using infogr.am and visual.ly. Both of them were giving me trouble. Is it just me?! Looks like I am going to have to ask my tech problem solver for help again! Thanks in advance Scott!
Infographic yet to come
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
My Digital Footprint
In many of our classes we have discussed the concept of our digital footprint. As I briefly discussed in a previous blog post, my digitally footprint is basically non-existent to the public eye. In a previous blog I had also shared the results of my google search. That was when I googled my name only 1 result came up (that was actually me), and that was my Pinterest boards. While writing post, I figured I should google it again... You know just in case a typing changed. Well it turns out that now my name will give 2 results; my Pinterest boards AND the comments I made on Lisa's blog! I do enjoy that I have my privacy, but at the same time I feel that I need to create a more public digital footprint.
Being close to the end of my Education degree I feel that this is a necessity. I believe I took my first step by creating this blog. But I do not want to stop there! As I have said before my goal is to create a bigger (is that the word I am looking for??) online presence. What I really want to do first is create an online portfolio. I know this will take me forever and a day, because I will want it to be flawless, and then I will worry about making it public, and then I will want to change it again, and so on. But the day I hit the publish button instead of the save will be a great day! I also want to be a more frequent educational tweeter! (Who would have thought I would be saying that right)
The Edublogger that I follow posted a really good infographic entitled "Managing your Personal E-Reputation." (I will tell you more about her in a blog that is yet to come! ) Here are a few details which were on the infographic that stuck with me:
- 48% of recruiters refer to personal websites when deciding whether or not to hire you.
- 78% of recruiters check search engines to find out more about potential employees.
- 8% of companies have fired someone for abusing social media
- SET YOUR OWN REPUTATION!
Here is the link to the infographic: Check it out!
http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.ca/search/label/digital%20footprint
Yikes. Staggering, but yet not surprising statistics. Although I think this blow was softened for me by first hearing about it from George Couros. It makes you realize just how important your digital footprint is to your career.
I will take this advice and I will set my own reputation. I will be alive online soon enough!
Being close to the end of my Education degree I feel that this is a necessity. I believe I took my first step by creating this blog. But I do not want to stop there! As I have said before my goal is to create a bigger (is that the word I am looking for??) online presence. What I really want to do first is create an online portfolio. I know this will take me forever and a day, because I will want it to be flawless, and then I will worry about making it public, and then I will want to change it again, and so on. But the day I hit the publish button instead of the save will be a great day! I also want to be a more frequent educational tweeter! (Who would have thought I would be saying that right)
The Edublogger that I follow posted a really good infographic entitled "Managing your Personal E-Reputation." (I will tell you more about her in a blog that is yet to come! ) Here are a few details which were on the infographic that stuck with me:
- 48% of recruiters refer to personal websites when deciding whether or not to hire you.
- 78% of recruiters check search engines to find out more about potential employees.
- 8% of companies have fired someone for abusing social media
- SET YOUR OWN REPUTATION!
Here is the link to the infographic: Check it out!
http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.ca/search/label/digital%20footprint
Yikes. Staggering, but yet not surprising statistics. Although I think this blow was softened for me by first hearing about it from George Couros. It makes you realize just how important your digital footprint is to your career.
I will take this advice and I will set my own reputation. I will be alive online soon enough!
EduBlogger: The Innovative Educator
When initially looking at this tech task, I was a little stumped; I didn't even know of any other than the ones discussed in class and listed on Moodle. So I will be honest... as with many things, I googled it! Is that embarrassing? I believe I googled something like "edubloggers to follow" or something along those lines. Somehow I ended up on a SlideShare that gave me 25 or so inspirational (in their words) educational blogs to follow. From this, I chose about 10 and added them to my RSS feed. From time to time I would look on these blogs and see which blogs I enjoyed the most.
This is how I came across the blog of Lisa Nielson, who has a blog entitled The Innovative Educator. Who is she?
"Ms. Nielsen is a seasoned public school educator who has worked for more than a decade in various capacities including full-time as a permanently certified teacher and educational administrator who supports learning in real and innovative ways that prepare students for success." This description is one that I found on her "About Me" page. Se has also recently written a book.
Her blog focuses on sharing ideas and thoughts about the future of education, as well as resources. Lisa is an advocate for the use of all kinds of technology in the classroom; being an innovative educator. She discusses topics such as Professional Learning Networks, Facebook, Twitter, SmartBoards, social media, cellular phones in education, and much much more! Her blog is very organized, which is appealing to me. In the right hand side she lists the categories that she speaks about, so if you want to read about a certain topic you can just click on the category.
The best thing about this blog I have found so far is that many of her posts are accompanied with an audio option; a podcast. Instead of reading the article, you can listen to it! There have been times that I have listened to something on her blog while doing other homework; how convenient!
One thing I didn't consider until recently was following her on Twitter. It didn't occur to me until I took another look at the tech task description. Goes to show how much of a Twitter newbie I am! I started following her now, and from what I can see she often tweets the same ideas and resources that she puts on her blog. Just another way she is sharing with the world!
Lisa and her commitment to this blog is something to admire. I definitely recommend to everyone to check out her blog. Turn it on while you are doing the dishes! ;) Here is her blog:
http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.ca/
This is how I came across the blog of Lisa Nielson, who has a blog entitled The Innovative Educator. Who is she?
"Ms. Nielsen is a seasoned public school educator who has worked for more than a decade in various capacities including full-time as a permanently certified teacher and educational administrator who supports learning in real and innovative ways that prepare students for success." This description is one that I found on her "About Me" page. Se has also recently written a book.
Her blog focuses on sharing ideas and thoughts about the future of education, as well as resources. Lisa is an advocate for the use of all kinds of technology in the classroom; being an innovative educator. She discusses topics such as Professional Learning Networks, Facebook, Twitter, SmartBoards, social media, cellular phones in education, and much much more! Her blog is very organized, which is appealing to me. In the right hand side she lists the categories that she speaks about, so if you want to read about a certain topic you can just click on the category.
The best thing about this blog I have found so far is that many of her posts are accompanied with an audio option; a podcast. Instead of reading the article, you can listen to it! There have been times that I have listened to something on her blog while doing other homework; how convenient!
One thing I didn't consider until recently was following her on Twitter. It didn't occur to me until I took another look at the tech task description. Goes to show how much of a Twitter newbie I am! I started following her now, and from what I can see she often tweets the same ideas and resources that she puts on her blog. Just another way she is sharing with the world!
Lisa and her commitment to this blog is something to admire. I definitely recommend to everyone to check out her blog. Turn it on while you are doing the dishes! ;) Here is her blog:
http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.ca/
Class last week: Diigo vs. Pearltrees
Last week was a mix up of different topics in our Internet for Educators class. On Tuesday we discussed social bookmarking tools (such as Diigo and Pearltrees)and watched some videos I had never seen (loved the bad lip reading one). Thursday we were alotted a period to with with our groups for our presentations.
The main question I have in this post is, what bookmarking tool should I use? Diigo or Pearltrees? I know, I am a little behind on this tech task... But I couldn't make up my mind! I downloaded both apps on my iPad, and I have signed up for both. I am trying both out trying to get a handle on how to set them up. This is probably the silly way of doing it.. I really should just pick one and go with it. As you can see I am a fairly indecisive person. I'm leaning more towards Diigo, just because it seems easier due to the option of having the "Diigolet" in my toolbar. Maybe Pearltrees has that option as well and I just don't know it? It seems that as it stands right now I am leaning more towards Diigo. Good luck to me! If you have a moment let me know what you prefer for a bookmarking tool - I could use the input!
My group and I are doing our presentation on Cyberbullying. We went down a rather creative path for this project... and I do like our final product! We decided to try and lighten up the mood a little bit on this one, but do note the WARNING, and that we do not think lightly of this issue. I'm sure you are confused by that statement right now, but you will understand later! Anyway, that is all I will say for now; wouldn't want to spoil it!
Now to comment a little on my time so far in this class. The blogging has been surprisingly enjoyable! I do enjoy writing them, even though I am often slightly behind in doing so. I feel good about getting my thoughts out there, and becoming a little more public. However I am beginning to feel slightly overwhelmed with the tech tasks that I still need to do! The ones I left are sort of unfamiliar territory for me, and I am talking about the Video, the Podcast, the Infographics, and web-based Apps. By that I just mean I have not explored these different things very much. So I will need to do some exploring before I can complete the tasks. I better get going... I can't believe how fast this term has flown by!
The main question I have in this post is, what bookmarking tool should I use? Diigo or Pearltrees? I know, I am a little behind on this tech task... But I couldn't make up my mind! I downloaded both apps on my iPad, and I have signed up for both. I am trying both out trying to get a handle on how to set them up. This is probably the silly way of doing it.. I really should just pick one and go with it. As you can see I am a fairly indecisive person. I'm leaning more towards Diigo, just because it seems easier due to the option of having the "Diigolet" in my toolbar. Maybe Pearltrees has that option as well and I just don't know it? It seems that as it stands right now I am leaning more towards Diigo. Good luck to me! If you have a moment let me know what you prefer for a bookmarking tool - I could use the input!
My group and I are doing our presentation on Cyberbullying. We went down a rather creative path for this project... and I do like our final product! We decided to try and lighten up the mood a little bit on this one, but do note the WARNING, and that we do not think lightly of this issue. I'm sure you are confused by that statement right now, but you will understand later! Anyway, that is all I will say for now; wouldn't want to spoil it!
Now to comment a little on my time so far in this class. The blogging has been surprisingly enjoyable! I do enjoy writing them, even though I am often slightly behind in doing so. I feel good about getting my thoughts out there, and becoming a little more public. However I am beginning to feel slightly overwhelmed with the tech tasks that I still need to do! The ones I left are sort of unfamiliar territory for me, and I am talking about the Video, the Podcast, the Infographics, and web-based Apps. By that I just mean I have not explored these different things very much. So I will need to do some exploring before I can complete the tasks. I better get going... I can't believe how fast this term has flown by!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Presentation by Clarence Fisher
Recently we had the privilege of speaking with Clarence Fisher, who is a teacher in Snow Lake. He had a short, but excellent discussion with us through Skype while his students were in Gym class. So I would just like to start off by saying thank you to Clarence, for sacrificing your break to share your thoughts with us!
If you have it - use it, and use it well!
This is one thing I took away from the discussion with Clarence. He spoke about the importance of actually using the technology that is available to you, and using it in meaningful ways. In other words if you have a SmartBoard in your classroom, use it. And not just as a screen! If you have computers in your room, use them. If you have cameras available to you, use them. You get the picture. Many classrooms may have these tools available, but are not necessarily using them to their full potential. But in the same breath, the way in which these tools are being used needs to be meaningful. As Clarence put it, "the use of technology needs to have a deeper reason than just being interesting and fun." As teachers we need to think about WHY we are using the technology; how will it be beneficial for the students? What will they learn from it?
Clarence also shared with us some of his experiences doing collaborative learning projects. He connects with classrooms around the world using Skype. His students will Skype with these classrooms, whether it is just to have a discussion or work on a project together. I love love love this idea; there is so much learning that can be done! I really enjoyed the story Clarence told us about Skyping with a class from L.A. To make a long story short, through discussion with the students in L.A. his students were able to appreciate the privileges they have living in a rural community. Privileges such as riding their bikes at night! I think this is a wonderful realization for the students. It may be a small insight for the students, but an insight nonetheless! Everybody who lives in a small rural community should realize just how awesome it is! (Do I sound biased??) Okay perhaps I am. I grew up in a small town, and I loved it. Sure, I had a half hour bus ride to school every day, and I had to travel at least 15 minutes if I wanted something from the grocery store. But still, the pros heavily outweighed the cons believe me!
While on this topic, once upon a time I took a PD presented by Devon Caldwell on SmartBoards (which by the way I recommend everyone take). She shared with us things she does in her classroom with the SmartBoard (among other things). Something her class always takes part in is collaborative learning projects via Skype. I believe she was the first person to introduce me to this idea, and since then I have been very anxious to try it! Though sadly I have not yet tried. One day though, one day. I do recommend checking out her blog if you haven't already, she has some great ideas and resources on there! Here is the link: http://kinderdiva.blogspot.ca/
On that note I think I will sign off on this blog! This cold I have is really kicking my butt. It is only 8:30 and I am ready for bed... Sad? Ah well. Goodbye iPad, hello Tylenol Cold, and goodnight world!
If you have it - use it, and use it well!
This is one thing I took away from the discussion with Clarence. He spoke about the importance of actually using the technology that is available to you, and using it in meaningful ways. In other words if you have a SmartBoard in your classroom, use it. And not just as a screen! If you have computers in your room, use them. If you have cameras available to you, use them. You get the picture. Many classrooms may have these tools available, but are not necessarily using them to their full potential. But in the same breath, the way in which these tools are being used needs to be meaningful. As Clarence put it, "the use of technology needs to have a deeper reason than just being interesting and fun." As teachers we need to think about WHY we are using the technology; how will it be beneficial for the students? What will they learn from it?
Clarence also shared with us some of his experiences doing collaborative learning projects. He connects with classrooms around the world using Skype. His students will Skype with these classrooms, whether it is just to have a discussion or work on a project together. I love love love this idea; there is so much learning that can be done! I really enjoyed the story Clarence told us about Skyping with a class from L.A. To make a long story short, through discussion with the students in L.A. his students were able to appreciate the privileges they have living in a rural community. Privileges such as riding their bikes at night! I think this is a wonderful realization for the students. It may be a small insight for the students, but an insight nonetheless! Everybody who lives in a small rural community should realize just how awesome it is! (Do I sound biased??) Okay perhaps I am. I grew up in a small town, and I loved it. Sure, I had a half hour bus ride to school every day, and I had to travel at least 15 minutes if I wanted something from the grocery store. But still, the pros heavily outweighed the cons believe me!
While on this topic, once upon a time I took a PD presented by Devon Caldwell on SmartBoards (which by the way I recommend everyone take). She shared with us things she does in her classroom with the SmartBoard (among other things). Something her class always takes part in is collaborative learning projects via Skype. I believe she was the first person to introduce me to this idea, and since then I have been very anxious to try it! Though sadly I have not yet tried. One day though, one day. I do recommend checking out her blog if you haven't already, she has some great ideas and resources on there! Here is the link: http://kinderdiva.blogspot.ca/
On that note I think I will sign off on this blog! This cold I have is really kicking my butt. It is only 8:30 and I am ready for bed... Sad? Ah well. Goodbye iPad, hello Tylenol Cold, and goodnight world!
Monday, February 4, 2013
Guest Speaker: George Couros
Recently we had the opportunity to speak with George Couros, who is the Division Principal of Innovative Teaching and Learning for Parkland School Division via Skype. His discussion focused mainly on creating a clean and professional digital footprint, as well as elements that make a mastery teacher.
For his introduction he shared with us a story from his past, regarding an inappropriate Tweet on Twitter. Needless to say things did not end well for this 'tweeter'. He went on to share with us that as a Principal, he would often google potential teachers. All of these examples were used to stress how important our digital footprint is, and how we need to be aware of what our own looks like. I will be honest, while he was talking I was beginning to feel a little paranoid! (What happens when my name is typed into google? What would show up?) So what did I do after class? You guessed it, I google myself! I didn't find much. Two items came up: this blog and my Pinterest boards. For the first second I was relieved, because I consider myself a fairly private person. But then I reminded myself of what George spoke about, and thought perhaps this is not a good thing after all. George expressed how it is an asset to have an easily accessible online presence, especially when looking for a job. Share your experiences, your insights, your learning, your projects, etc.; give people something great to find about you, it can go a long way.
My new goals: become less private, share more (worry less), and create on online portfolio!
George also spoke about some of the elements which make a great teacher, and what kinds of things he looks for (as a Principal) in teacher candidates. I really enjoyed this discussion. It was nice to hear these things from a Principal's perspective, and helpful to hear what kinds of things he looks for in a teacher. For those of you reading who did not hear him speak, here are some tips for you!
1. Make connections and build meaningful relationships with your students and your colleagues.
2. Teach the students first, and the curriculum second.
3. Embody lifelong learning. "Be an expert in learning, not teaching." (George Couros)
4. Focus on character education; how you are going to make your students better people.
5. Be passionate about what you are teaching. If you are passionate about it, the students are more likely to adopt that attitude as well.
6. Be a school teacher, not a classroom teacher. That is, be involved with the entire school, not just your own classroom. Help out with activities, get to know the students in the hallways, get to know colleagues, etc. I really liked the way he separated these two types of teachers. I completely agree; a great teacher strives to be involved school wide, not just in the classroom.
7. Have an appropriate and accessible online presence; share the great things you do!
8. Develop effective communication skills. This is especially helpful when dealing with parents and discipline.
Thank you George for the excellent discussion and great tips! Thanks also to Mike for arranging it, and to Skype for being the tool to make it all happen! And to end this blog post, I will leave you with another video by Kid Snippets (yes I have become addicted). These just make my day.
Are these great communication skills or what!?
For his introduction he shared with us a story from his past, regarding an inappropriate Tweet on Twitter. Needless to say things did not end well for this 'tweeter'. He went on to share with us that as a Principal, he would often google potential teachers. All of these examples were used to stress how important our digital footprint is, and how we need to be aware of what our own looks like. I will be honest, while he was talking I was beginning to feel a little paranoid! (What happens when my name is typed into google? What would show up?) So what did I do after class? You guessed it, I google myself! I didn't find much. Two items came up: this blog and my Pinterest boards. For the first second I was relieved, because I consider myself a fairly private person. But then I reminded myself of what George spoke about, and thought perhaps this is not a good thing after all. George expressed how it is an asset to have an easily accessible online presence, especially when looking for a job. Share your experiences, your insights, your learning, your projects, etc.; give people something great to find about you, it can go a long way.
My new goals: become less private, share more (worry less), and create on online portfolio!
George also spoke about some of the elements which make a great teacher, and what kinds of things he looks for (as a Principal) in teacher candidates. I really enjoyed this discussion. It was nice to hear these things from a Principal's perspective, and helpful to hear what kinds of things he looks for in a teacher. For those of you reading who did not hear him speak, here are some tips for you!
1. Make connections and build meaningful relationships with your students and your colleagues.
2. Teach the students first, and the curriculum second.
3. Embody lifelong learning. "Be an expert in learning, not teaching." (George Couros)
4. Focus on character education; how you are going to make your students better people.
5. Be passionate about what you are teaching. If you are passionate about it, the students are more likely to adopt that attitude as well.
6. Be a school teacher, not a classroom teacher. That is, be involved with the entire school, not just your own classroom. Help out with activities, get to know the students in the hallways, get to know colleagues, etc. I really liked the way he separated these two types of teachers. I completely agree; a great teacher strives to be involved school wide, not just in the classroom.
7. Have an appropriate and accessible online presence; share the great things you do!
8. Develop effective communication skills. This is especially helpful when dealing with parents and discipline.
Thank you George for the excellent discussion and great tips! Thanks also to Mike for arranging it, and to Skype for being the tool to make it all happen! And to end this blog post, I will leave you with another video by Kid Snippets (yes I have become addicted). These just make my day.
Are these great communication skills or what!?
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
A Typical 21st century Student: Connections
How many connections does a typical high school student have... I really have no idea! Below is an image of what I think a typical high school student's learning network looks like. Am I way off base here?! To start this visual I thought back to when I was in high school. What did I use? Well what I used most (in the younger years) was MSN Messenger. Now the reason for the question mark on the image; is that still around?? Next most frequently used social device for me (as I grew older) was Facebook. I would use my home desktop computer to access these, where I would also check my Hotmail account, YouTube, etc. My question is, how much have students evolved? How much do they know about? What other tools do they use? My visual seems small.. what am I missing?!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
My Connections: A Visual
Let me start by saying - Wow! Below is a visual I created using MindMeister of my PLN/PLE. Honestly, I did not realize how many connections I really had until I started creating this visual. It just kept growing! Of course credit for a lot of this goes out to Mike. If I had not taken the ICT course last year, some of these connections would be non-existent. Some of these connections also came from my learning so far in this new course with Mike, which I have only been in for 3 weeks! A big thanks to my friends and my peers also, because several of these tools I learned from them.
Presentation by Alec Couros
This past week we had the pleasure of having Alec Couros speak to our class. Alec Couros is a professor of educational technology and media in the Faculty of Education and the University of Regina. Once again this class began with me witnessing yet another amazing communication tool available on the internet! Alec spoke to us through Adobe Connect. We did experience a few problems with the microphone where he would occasionally cut out, but overall I think this tool is great! We were part of a private group where we could not only listen to him speak, but also see and follow his presentation on the screen and contribute to a group chat (which was great to let him know when we were having trouble hearing him!).
I really enjoyed listening to Alec's presentation. He spoke about different tools to use in the classroom, such as Edmodo, polleverywhere, remind101, etc. Then he discussed the movement of technology into the classroom. As for the rest of the talk.. well he summed up his ideas very well! He focused on teaching us to:
Two things I'd like to weigh in on:
1. As Alec mentioned in his presentation, kids are becoming increasingly familiar with all kinds of electronic devices and online social media. Even kids under the age of 13 have facebook accounts. By age 11 many kids have smartphones. Alec briefly discussed how many schools are moving towards the BYOD motto; ie. Bring Your Own Device. Students will bring smartphones, tablets, iPads, laptops, etc. to class. This seems crazy to me. Don't get me wrong - crazy in a good way! I remember when I was in high school.. "no cellphones allowed in class!" is what I would hear from every teacher. Nevermind the idea of bringing in a laptop or an ipad. And that was only 6 years ago! Come to think of it... I didn't even own a cell phone until I was 16 (Imagine that!), nor did I have a laptop until I entered University. Nowadays kids are getting tablets at age 5 and cell phones at age 11!
But complaining and jealousy aside... this is a good thing, in terms of the educational opportunities it creates. There might be negative aspects as well, but for the most part I think the movement towards electronic devices in the classroom is a great idea. There is so much learning that can be done using these devices. Sure, there is the worry that students will be spending their time on Facebook or texting their friends during class. There is also the importance of using the internet to share and learn in an appropriate and respectful way. But the way I see it, it's more rewarding to embrace it; not fight it! Teach and model digital citizenship and appropriate classroom behaviour. From there, it's nothing but quality learning!
Hooray for change!
2. "It's no longer enough to do powerful work if no one sees it" - Chris Lehmann
This is a quote Alec shared with us to highlight his point that learning needs to be made visible. If you do amazing work, share it with the world! Alec really got me thinking about the aspect of give and take involved in social networking. It is important to remember that you should share just as much as you receive. This got me thinking about my own online sharing. I find a lot of useful information and fantastic resources online, but how much do I actually share?
So what did I take away from this? Online learning is a two way street; I need to give back just as much as I take. But the best thing I took away from it... a new goal! - Share, share, share!
Thanks for presenting Alec!
Oh and on a side note: another special thanks to Alec for introducing me to Kid Snippets. Should I be embarrassed that I had never head of/seen these videos?! I love them. These videos are hilarious, and so creative. A script written and spoken by kids, acted out by adults; enough said, right? If you are like me and have never heard of these videos (but have now!), I highly suggest watching them. My favourite so far: Driver's Ed
I really enjoyed listening to Alec's presentation. He spoke about different tools to use in the classroom, such as Edmodo, polleverywhere, remind101, etc. Then he discussed the movement of technology into the classroom. As for the rest of the talk.. well he summed up his ideas very well! He focused on teaching us to:
1. Embrace technology tools,
2.
Experiment with new forms of Expression,
3. Teach digital citizenship,
4. Connect and learn via
social networks, and
5. Make learning visibleTwo things I'd like to weigh in on:
1. As Alec mentioned in his presentation, kids are becoming increasingly familiar with all kinds of electronic devices and online social media. Even kids under the age of 13 have facebook accounts. By age 11 many kids have smartphones. Alec briefly discussed how many schools are moving towards the BYOD motto; ie. Bring Your Own Device. Students will bring smartphones, tablets, iPads, laptops, etc. to class. This seems crazy to me. Don't get me wrong - crazy in a good way! I remember when I was in high school.. "no cellphones allowed in class!" is what I would hear from every teacher. Nevermind the idea of bringing in a laptop or an ipad. And that was only 6 years ago! Come to think of it... I didn't even own a cell phone until I was 16 (Imagine that!), nor did I have a laptop until I entered University. Nowadays kids are getting tablets at age 5 and cell phones at age 11!
But complaining and jealousy aside... this is a good thing, in terms of the educational opportunities it creates. There might be negative aspects as well, but for the most part I think the movement towards electronic devices in the classroom is a great idea. There is so much learning that can be done using these devices. Sure, there is the worry that students will be spending their time on Facebook or texting their friends during class. There is also the importance of using the internet to share and learn in an appropriate and respectful way. But the way I see it, it's more rewarding to embrace it; not fight it! Teach and model digital citizenship and appropriate classroom behaviour. From there, it's nothing but quality learning!
Hooray for change!
2. "It's no longer enough to do powerful work if no one sees it" - Chris Lehmann
This is a quote Alec shared with us to highlight his point that learning needs to be made visible. If you do amazing work, share it with the world! Alec really got me thinking about the aspect of give and take involved in social networking. It is important to remember that you should share just as much as you receive. This got me thinking about my own online sharing. I find a lot of useful information and fantastic resources online, but how much do I actually share?
So what did I take away from this? Online learning is a two way street; I need to give back just as much as I take. But the best thing I took away from it... a new goal! - Share, share, share!
Thanks for presenting Alec!
Oh and on a side note: another special thanks to Alec for introducing me to Kid Snippets. Should I be embarrassed that I had never head of/seen these videos?! I love them. These videos are hilarious, and so creative. A script written and spoken by kids, acted out by adults; enough said, right? If you are like me and have never heard of these videos (but have now!), I highly suggest watching them. My favourite so far: Driver's Ed
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Twitter - Yay or Nay?
People everywhere now know the symbol of the social media tool known as Twitter. Similar to Facebook this icon is now seen on
personal websites, online newspaper sites, university
websites, you name it.
Until recently I have avoided this new fad like the plague. Why?
Honestly... I didn't really have a good reason! I guess I just didn't really
see the benefit of it; just another place to share funny stories or quotes (or "tweets"). Needless to say I was definitely a Nay as opposed to a Yay as far as joining the Twitter bandwagon goes.
Due to my enrollment in the Internet for Educators course, I have now joined Twitter. Surprisingly enough... I am thankful for this! I knew I should join, keep up with the times and what not. But if you've read my previous blogs you know that technology and I are not often close friends! This is yet another piece of the world of technology I shied away from. Now that I am on Twitter, I am trying to learn the ropes. I have not yet "tweeted"... that will be a big step. I am to my surprise starting to see the benefits; mainly the idea of finding all kinds of useful information and resources, as well as sharing my own with others. Another thing I think I will enjoy once I get used to it is all of the humour that exists on it. A little something else to brighten my day!
All that being said, I can't say I am fully a Yay for twitter just yet (I can hear everyone saying boooooo.. but hold on!). I feel as though it is probably just because I am not used to it yet.. not totally confident on how to navigate through it, share, find, etc. But I feel confident that I will turn into a yay soon! After all, there must be a good reason why everyone out there is addicted!
...
Updates on that to come!
Friday, January 11, 2013
Presentation by John Evans
On Thursday our class had the privilege of having John Evans come in as a guest speaker. John is a web technologies consultant with Manitoba Education. I could see that John is very passionate about integrating technology into all areas of education. He provided a very informative session filled with tons of great resources, and great tips on how to build a Professional Learning Network (PLN). He spoke passionately about the importance and usefulness of building a PLN, and I found that he made a very good case! As I have mentioned before, I definitely consider myself a beginner when it comes to all things technology. When it comes to searching the internet for ideas for the classroom, I will be honest: I use the simple (and what I used to consider quickest) methods such as google, Pinterest, etc. Now I am thinking.. WHY!
John also gave the class a tour through the new program Maple, and signed up our whole class. This is a Professional Learning Network tool exclusively built for teachers. My initial impression of this tool is very positive. It seems very easy to navigate, which is great for people like me.. who are not very advanced internet users! I also noticed that it is layer out in a very organized fashion, which fits my personality very well. Maple has tons of different groups you can join which cover a very wide range of topics, and offer tons of resources. You can also upload your own resources and find friends. The part I like best about Maple is that you can create your own library. Using this, every resource I find I can just add it right to my library; this way it is all going to one place. On top of that, the library is already organized into specific topics such as Images, Videos, Blogs, etc. I am in organizational heaven! (I am sure you can tell from this I am a bit of an organizational nerd!)
Just listening to John speak about PLN's, I started wondering why haven't I been doing this the entire time. Think of how large my online PLN would have been by now, and how many resources I could have available to me with just a few clicks! Just as John said PLN's help us to connect with people all over the world, and create an easy and efficient way to not only find great resources, but share our own with the world. The great thing about using technology to build your own PLN and creating that online presence is that it is unique to each individual. You create it to fit your own needs, and make it work for you. It is all about sharing and collaborating; creating a community of learners. Professional learning has never been easier! I look forward to building my own PLN and embracing this beneficial, while still somewhat overwhelming aspect of technology!
Website: joevans.pbworks.com
John's website is loaded with links covering a wide range of topics in education. There are videos, articles, wiki's, etc. Topics/links I found particularly interesting and useful were IPads in Education, Social Bookmarking, and Literacy with ICT, just to name a few. You could get lost for hours on this site!
Great presentation - Thanks John!
John also gave the class a tour through the new program Maple, and signed up our whole class. This is a Professional Learning Network tool exclusively built for teachers. My initial impression of this tool is very positive. It seems very easy to navigate, which is great for people like me.. who are not very advanced internet users! I also noticed that it is layer out in a very organized fashion, which fits my personality very well. Maple has tons of different groups you can join which cover a very wide range of topics, and offer tons of resources. You can also upload your own resources and find friends. The part I like best about Maple is that you can create your own library. Using this, every resource I find I can just add it right to my library; this way it is all going to one place. On top of that, the library is already organized into specific topics such as Images, Videos, Blogs, etc. I am in organizational heaven! (I am sure you can tell from this I am a bit of an organizational nerd!)
Just listening to John speak about PLN's, I started wondering why haven't I been doing this the entire time. Think of how large my online PLN would have been by now, and how many resources I could have available to me with just a few clicks! Just as John said PLN's help us to connect with people all over the world, and create an easy and efficient way to not only find great resources, but share our own with the world. The great thing about using technology to build your own PLN and creating that online presence is that it is unique to each individual. You create it to fit your own needs, and make it work for you. It is all about sharing and collaborating; creating a community of learners. Professional learning has never been easier! I look forward to building my own PLN and embracing this beneficial, while still somewhat overwhelming aspect of technology!
Website: joevans.pbworks.com
John's website is loaded with links covering a wide range of topics in education. There are videos, articles, wiki's, etc. Topics/links I found particularly interesting and useful were IPads in Education, Social Bookmarking, and Literacy with ICT, just to name a few. You could get lost for hours on this site!
Great presentation - Thanks John!
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Technology.. Not my close friend!
Technology and I.. We aren't the best of friends. Often I find myself frustrated by the hardships and confusion I nearly always feel when it comes to anything technologically related. I tend to think I just wasn't born with that gift! When it comes to blogging, web related social networking, etc. I tend to steer clear. However recently I have come to realize that technology, while difficult at times, is nearly always worth the fight. Even though I have my fair share of hair-pulling experiences with technology, it really is the best and most efficient way to gain and share educational resources.
Thanks to my ICT courses I was able to finally reach this conclusion! I have already gained a ton of web resources, and learned of new tools to use in the classroom. This blog will be a place to share my new experiences and insights into the world of technology. I may have said it before.. But I am excited and committed to this new journey!
Here is to change!
Thanks to my ICT courses I was able to finally reach this conclusion! I have already gained a ton of web resources, and learned of new tools to use in the classroom. This blog will be a place to share my new experiences and insights into the world of technology. I may have said it before.. But I am excited and committed to this new journey!
Here is to change!
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