Social Bookmarking
I am one of the people talked about in the Commoncraft video who creates a long string of bookmarks on my computer. I end up having to duplicate my list (or send links) to my home computer so I don't lose my lists. Then my school computer gets ghosted each summer and I always forget to save my bookmarks. Keeping them in a web based program will solve that problem!
Using a site like del.icio.us will be a great time saver for me. I tried using it once, but not to its full advantage. I'm going to give it another try.
The social networking aspect of it is one of the better features. Of course that means the decision making about tags and notes has to be done with some consideration for others instead of my own idiosyncratic sorts.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Thing 18
Personal Learning Network
I have some mixed feelings about the idea of meeting up with other professionals in a format like Ning. I love the idea of a gathering place for ideas and for input from all over--even outside one's school district. We never have enough time to meet as we should to share and create in a professional way. Even when meetings are scheduled, they tend to devolve into conversations that cover immediate issues--putting out fires--and professional development and sharing ideas get pushed back for another time.
I can see a site like Ning being a vehicle for literacy coaches to communicate ideas across the district and get classroom teachers to participate in the conversations. It makes the information sharing more two-way. Professional development tends to be top down, but all teachers know about how many great ideas are thriving in classrooms.
So now the other side. Participating on line takes time, too. We can manage when and where a lot more, but it takes a lot of time in front of a screen. Face-to-face conversation, I think, is very important. Do you ever send an email question to a teacher in the room next door when you could walk 10 steps and ask it in person? The web is a great tool, but relationships will always be where real learning begins.
I have some mixed feelings about the idea of meeting up with other professionals in a format like Ning. I love the idea of a gathering place for ideas and for input from all over--even outside one's school district. We never have enough time to meet as we should to share and create in a professional way. Even when meetings are scheduled, they tend to devolve into conversations that cover immediate issues--putting out fires--and professional development and sharing ideas get pushed back for another time.
I can see a site like Ning being a vehicle for literacy coaches to communicate ideas across the district and get classroom teachers to participate in the conversations. It makes the information sharing more two-way. Professional development tends to be top down, but all teachers know about how many great ideas are thriving in classrooms.
So now the other side. Participating on line takes time, too. We can manage when and where a lot more, but it takes a lot of time in front of a screen. Face-to-face conversation, I think, is very important. Do you ever send an email question to a teacher in the room next door when you could walk 10 steps and ask it in person? The web is a great tool, but relationships will always be where real learning begins.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Thing 17
wufoo
I had a lot of fun playing around with the form creation site, wufoo. I do surveys, sometimes, asking teachers for their input various topics.
A while ago I worked with a student newspaper that was published monthly. We did a survey each month about books or favorite hot lunch choice or pet preferences. If I had wufoo available, we could have done the survey on line.
I thought comiqs might be something I could use with struggling writers to motivate them to use a creative platform to organize their thinking and create some writing. It can be liberating for strugglers to have a limited space to write in. They don't feel like they have to fill up a page, but they can tell a complete story.
By the way, Hair Mixer is a hoot. You should try it out.
I had a lot of fun playing around with the form creation site, wufoo. I do surveys, sometimes, asking teachers for their input various topics.
A while ago I worked with a student newspaper that was published monthly. We did a survey each month about books or favorite hot lunch choice or pet preferences. If I had wufoo available, we could have done the survey on line.
I thought comiqs might be something I could use with struggling writers to motivate them to use a creative platform to organize their thinking and create some writing. It can be liberating for strugglers to have a limited space to write in. They don't feel like they have to fill up a page, but they can tell a complete story.
By the way, Hair Mixer is a hoot. You should try it out.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thing 16
Digital Teaching
The thing I heard loud and clear from the selection of video presentations is "Let me learn and let me show you what I know!"
I think kids love learning. They might not love school, but they love learning. Technology is one of the languages kids speak, so they should use it in their learning.
The thing I heard loud and clear from the selection of video presentations is "Let me learn and let me show you what I know!"
I think kids love learning. They might not love school, but they love learning. Technology is one of the languages kids speak, so they should use it in their learning.
Thing 15
Podcasts in the Classroom
Snore....
If I had the power to change the way teachers teach, one of the first things I'd do would be to limit the amount of talking teachers do. Keep the lesson short and to the point, give kids a chance to do stuff. Then teach side by side with kids while they work and when they need more expertise from the teacher.
Podcasts are more talking.
I think there might be some students who would love to be more independent with their learning. In this case, children who want more or who need to revisit a topic might enjoy podcasts because the information is focused and tailored to their interests.
Someone might need to convince me of other ways podcasts might be used in the classroom. I'm not a fan right now.
Snore....
If I had the power to change the way teachers teach, one of the first things I'd do would be to limit the amount of talking teachers do. Keep the lesson short and to the point, give kids a chance to do stuff. Then teach side by side with kids while they work and when they need more expertise from the teacher.
Podcasts are more talking.
I think there might be some students who would love to be more independent with their learning. In this case, children who want more or who need to revisit a topic might enjoy podcasts because the information is focused and tailored to their interests.
Someone might need to convince me of other ways podcasts might be used in the classroom. I'm not a fan right now.
Thing 14
Podcasting
I love podcasts and subscribe to some through my iTunes account. Science Friday on NPR is one that I like to check up on. There's always a fascinating topic being discussed and who has time to listen on a Friday afternoon?
I subscribe to some other NPR podcasts--the game show Wait, Wait, Don't Tell me and Fresh Air are two I like.
I discovered the International Reading Association has some podcasts pertinent to a reading teacher (which, by the way, I am). I attended an IRA convention in Chicago a few years ago and noticed some of the presenters in the convention hall with microphones in their faces. Sure enough, they were creating podcasts about their particular reading expertise. I found the podcasts later on the Reading.org site.
I also found some good podcasts that help me keep up with what's newly published on some of the publisher's sites--Stenhouse and Heinemann, for example. This is more of a commercial use of the podcasts, but hearing the voice of an author can have an impact on whether the work is something I want to learn more about or not.
Students might like to record their conversations around books and literature so others can hear their thinking.
I need to play around with this some more.
I love podcasts and subscribe to some through my iTunes account. Science Friday on NPR is one that I like to check up on. There's always a fascinating topic being discussed and who has time to listen on a Friday afternoon?
I subscribe to some other NPR podcasts--the game show Wait, Wait, Don't Tell me and Fresh Air are two I like.
I discovered the International Reading Association has some podcasts pertinent to a reading teacher (which, by the way, I am). I attended an IRA convention in Chicago a few years ago and noticed some of the presenters in the convention hall with microphones in their faces. Sure enough, they were creating podcasts about their particular reading expertise. I found the podcasts later on the Reading.org site.
I also found some good podcasts that help me keep up with what's newly published on some of the publisher's sites--Stenhouse and Heinemann, for example. This is more of a commercial use of the podcasts, but hearing the voice of an author can have an impact on whether the work is something I want to learn more about or not.
Students might like to record their conversations around books and literature so others can hear their thinking.
I need to play around with this some more.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
