Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Thing #8 Stretch
I have always been a fan of Wikipedia. I have been hesitant to allow students to use Wikipedia as a resource because it can be edited. I always like them to be able to confirm the information using another source. I think Wikipedia has good information. I had never bothered to look at the discussion before. That is very interesting. I looked up the assassination of Abraham Lincoln (what can I say, I am a history dork!!!). The information was very complete and accurate. The discussion was lively, as many discussion about history often are.
Thing #8
Here we go with wiki's. I was very excited at first but am now feeling a bit overwhelmed. I am not sure why I am. I just am not really understanding the way that this could be incorporated into my class. I have one computer in my classroom and many of my students do not have computer/internet access at home. I see the appeal of a wiki, just not sure how I could use it.
I really liked the wiki Discovery Utopias. I loved the concept of creating Utopian societies. I liked the way the wiki was set up with the students expectations spelled out at the very beginning. No one has to search to find what the students are to do. I like the link to failed Utopias. The students have access to good information right at their fingertips.
I loved the Thousand Project wiki. What a great way for students to have insight from sources outside the classroom. What a fun way for students to learn. The concept was great, asking questions and getting answers from around the world. The information gathered in a wiki like this could be used in a variety of subjects in the classroom. The information could be used to teach math, geography, history, literature as well as ethics, morals, sharing, caring and a whole host of others. It is a fantastic way to gather information and disseminate it into exciting lessons. As a geography teacher my favorite question was October. What fun you could have locating those places on a map and to tie in math, you could create a bar graph or figure statistics on favorite places chosen.
Another wiki that I liked was the Room 15 Wiki. I really liked the set up of this one. It was very easy to navigate. The side bar allows the reader to easily access the information he wants. A reader can easily see what is available. The information presented in the wiki is great. I love the book reviews and the Help! Room. Great additions to a class wiki.
I plan to continue to work on wikis and see if I can incorporate one into my classroom. There are technology hurdles that have to be overcome.
I really liked the wiki Discovery Utopias. I loved the concept of creating Utopian societies. I liked the way the wiki was set up with the students expectations spelled out at the very beginning. No one has to search to find what the students are to do. I like the link to failed Utopias. The students have access to good information right at their fingertips.
I loved the Thousand Project wiki. What a great way for students to have insight from sources outside the classroom. What a fun way for students to learn. The concept was great, asking questions and getting answers from around the world. The information gathered in a wiki like this could be used in a variety of subjects in the classroom. The information could be used to teach math, geography, history, literature as well as ethics, morals, sharing, caring and a whole host of others. It is a fantastic way to gather information and disseminate it into exciting lessons. As a geography teacher my favorite question was October. What fun you could have locating those places on a map and to tie in math, you could create a bar graph or figure statistics on favorite places chosen.
Another wiki that I liked was the Room 15 Wiki. I really liked the set up of this one. It was very easy to navigate. The side bar allows the reader to easily access the information he wants. A reader can easily see what is available. The information presented in the wiki is great. I love the book reviews and the Help! Room. Great additions to a class wiki.
I plan to continue to work on wikis and see if I can incorporate one into my classroom. There are technology hurdles that have to be overcome.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Thing #6
I am enjoying Google reader. There is a lot of information that comes through the reader, but being able to scan the headlines and have them marked as read makes it very easy to choose the ones you want to read. I also like that I have chosen the pages I want and Google readers pulls all of the information together for me. It makes getting the news very easy.
I read an article in the New York Times about a low performing school in Los Angeles that was taken over by a charter. The charter had spent $15 million to restructure the school. The school has seen improvement in state testing after just a short time. The concern is the amount of money that was spent to restructure the school. The school had an enrollment of 3200 students. The charter created academies that divided the school into smaller populations. They have to have more staff and better resources to meet the needs to the students. Of course this is going to cost more money. How is it that money needed for things like war can always be found? But when we need to spend money on students in underprivileged areas people question if that is the right thing to do. All students deserve to have the best education they can get, not just the students who are fortunate enough to reside in high income areas. I will wager that the school in Los Angeles will continue to see improvements. And as the school improves, so will the neighborhood that feeds to school. Good things happening at the school will transfer to home!
I read an article in the New York Times about a low performing school in Los Angeles that was taken over by a charter. The charter had spent $15 million to restructure the school. The school has seen improvement in state testing after just a short time. The concern is the amount of money that was spent to restructure the school. The school had an enrollment of 3200 students. The charter created academies that divided the school into smaller populations. They have to have more staff and better resources to meet the needs to the students. Of course this is going to cost more money. How is it that money needed for things like war can always be found? But when we need to spend money on students in underprivileged areas people question if that is the right thing to do. All students deserve to have the best education they can get, not just the students who are fortunate enough to reside in high income areas. I will wager that the school in Los Angeles will continue to see improvements. And as the school improves, so will the neighborhood that feeds to school. Good things happening at the school will transfer to home!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Thing #7
Okay, I love posting comments. I have been a "lurker" for a long time, but have never posted comments on any of the things I have read. I guess I thought it was going to be difficult or involve a lot of passwords, etc. It is great to be able to add to the conversation of a blog. I am able to express my opinions, agree or disagree or even add a new viewpoint.
Posting comments is important to both the writer and the readers of the blog. As I stated earlier, it contributes to the conversation of the blog. Blogs tend to be more informal than news articles and the writer is looking for input from the readers.
Now that I understand the ins and outs of commenting on a blog, bloggers beware. I love to express my opinions!
Posting comments is important to both the writer and the readers of the blog. As I stated earlier, it contributes to the conversation of the blog. Blogs tend to be more informal than news articles and the writer is looking for input from the readers.
Now that I understand the ins and outs of commenting on a blog, bloggers beware. I love to express my opinions!
Thing #5
I can see the advantage of using Google Reader. It makes navigating the Internet much easier. A person will be able to preselect the websites that interest him and then filter the information by quickly scanning the headlines.
The blog that I was most interested in was Students 2.0. It was insightful to get opinions of high school students on a variety of topics. I especially like this one. I think in the world today, everyone has to be the "best". No one can just be average. As a result, we push students to do all kinds of things that we were not expected to do 25 years ago. Kids are expected to volunteer, create, produce and excel at a rate that is far beyond what I was expected to do when I was in high school. Why does everyone have to be the smartest, best, most productive and the greatest? Doesn't the world need some average people? What does being the smartest and brightest really get you? Only a small portion of the world can be professional athletes, Hollywood actors or Albert Einsteins. I have several people in my life who have been told they were the best from the moment they came into the world. They were expected to excel in everything they did. And they did. That was great until the reached about 35 years old and discovered they were completely burned out. They had always done everything that was expected of them and today they do not hold a job. This person gave all he had when he was younger and has nothing left. But it is great that he can say he was the smartest!!
I think it is important for all people to work to their potential. I think it is also important to teach the joy of playing the game and not just the joy of winning. I think it is important for children to be told that it is okay to fail as long as you give it your best. Find joy in what you do. Play a sport for the love of it not because you are the best on the field. My oldest son decided as an eighth grader that he wanted to play football. He had never played, but thought it would be fun. He made the "C" team at his junior high. The only time he was on the field was during the "pre" quarter the district had in place for the "C" team. But, you know what? He had a blast. He loved being a part of something bigger than himself. He cheered on his teammates and wore his jersey to school with pride! He made me so proud to be his parent.
Students today have so much pressure put on them. I love that Hannah Feldmen feels the same way I do. Students should be able to spend their time doing what they want. And if what they want to do is build a water tower in Costa Rica then more power to them. But if they want to knit and read and bake, more power to them for that. They have all of their adult lives to do things that will look good on an application!
The blog that I was most interested in was Students 2.0. It was insightful to get opinions of high school students on a variety of topics. I especially like this one. I think in the world today, everyone has to be the "best". No one can just be average. As a result, we push students to do all kinds of things that we were not expected to do 25 years ago. Kids are expected to volunteer, create, produce and excel at a rate that is far beyond what I was expected to do when I was in high school. Why does everyone have to be the smartest, best, most productive and the greatest? Doesn't the world need some average people? What does being the smartest and brightest really get you? Only a small portion of the world can be professional athletes, Hollywood actors or Albert Einsteins. I have several people in my life who have been told they were the best from the moment they came into the world. They were expected to excel in everything they did. And they did. That was great until the reached about 35 years old and discovered they were completely burned out. They had always done everything that was expected of them and today they do not hold a job. This person gave all he had when he was younger and has nothing left. But it is great that he can say he was the smartest!!
I think it is important for all people to work to their potential. I think it is also important to teach the joy of playing the game and not just the joy of winning. I think it is important for children to be told that it is okay to fail as long as you give it your best. Find joy in what you do. Play a sport for the love of it not because you are the best on the field. My oldest son decided as an eighth grader that he wanted to play football. He had never played, but thought it would be fun. He made the "C" team at his junior high. The only time he was on the field was during the "pre" quarter the district had in place for the "C" team. But, you know what? He had a blast. He loved being a part of something bigger than himself. He cheered on his teammates and wore his jersey to school with pride! He made me so proud to be his parent.
Students today have so much pressure put on them. I love that Hannah Feldmen feels the same way I do. Students should be able to spend their time doing what they want. And if what they want to do is build a water tower in Costa Rica then more power to them. But if they want to knit and read and bake, more power to them for that. They have all of their adult lives to do things that will look good on an application!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Thing #4
Reading blogs is much different than reading a book for pleasure or even a textbook for knowledge. A blog will allow a reader to have insight into a persons feelings on a topic. The format of a blog tends to be more casual, almost as if the blogger is engaged in a conversation with the reader. People will read blogs for a variety if reasons. The end result will still be the same as other types of reading, the reader gaining knowledge. The blogger has imparted the reader with something he wanted the reader to know. As with anything you read, the responsibility of the validity of the information presented in a blog is up to the reader. Just because something is printed (or presented on the internet) does not mean that it is 100% completely true or correct. It is the responsibility of the reader to determine the truth and correctness of the material presented.
In a blog, the opportunity to comment and read comments posted by other readers allows the reader to get a variety of opinions, thoughts and perspectives on a topic. This allows the reader to form his own thoughts, opinions and perspectives and share them with other readers who will be able to express their feelings on the readers thoughts. It is opening up a conversation about the topic. Blogging will allow a person to engage in conversation with people about a topic of interest that he may not otherwise ever meet.
Blogging tends to be faster and shorter than printed material. Blogging will create a group of people who are accustomed to reading short, direct and to the point information. As a result, written word will become shorter and more to the point. People want information quick.
Blogging can facilitate learning. A person may begin reading a blog on fishing. The reader may encounter comments about a different type of fishing than he usually does. Curiosity will make the reader do a search on the new type of fishing and soon the reader has gained new knowledge (learning) on a new topic. Blogging has he ability to introduce readers to new and different information.
In a blog, the opportunity to comment and read comments posted by other readers allows the reader to get a variety of opinions, thoughts and perspectives on a topic. This allows the reader to form his own thoughts, opinions and perspectives and share them with other readers who will be able to express their feelings on the readers thoughts. It is opening up a conversation about the topic. Blogging will allow a person to engage in conversation with people about a topic of interest that he may not otherwise ever meet.
Blogging tends to be faster and shorter than printed material. Blogging will create a group of people who are accustomed to reading short, direct and to the point information. As a result, written word will become shorter and more to the point. People want information quick.
Blogging can facilitate learning. A person may begin reading a blog on fishing. The reader may encounter comments about a different type of fishing than he usually does. Curiosity will make the reader do a search on the new type of fishing and soon the reader has gained new knowledge (learning) on a new topic. Blogging has he ability to introduce readers to new and different information.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Thoughts on Web 2.0
As a social studies teacher, I would love to be able to have my students have access to digital maps. This would make for easy discussion about population density and geographical factors affecting population density. Having students be able to up to date information about the countries of he world would allow for them to have a better understanding of the increasingly smaller world we live in. Students need to be able to understand the cultures of the world because with technology moving the way that it is, students will have more encounters with people from different cultures. Having knowledge of the different cultures will enable to students to better function. Also having students be able to post on a blog reactions to various topics in class would be great. Students are often shy to discuss in class but would feel better be able to put it in written word. Also, having access to a blog would allow students compile thoughts and then express them.
Teachers today are in competition with electronics for students attention in the classroom. Anything that can gain student interest would be an asset.
Reflections on Lifelong Learning
The habit that will be hardest for me to employ will be the learning toolbox. I am very bad about just jumping into something and not making sure I have all that I need before I get started. I am a very organized person in most aspects but like to just get started when trying something new.
The habit that will be easiest for me will to be viewing problems as challenges. I am very good about visualizing the end of something and getting there despite the challenges along the way. Setting small goals and achieving them and then setting another is usually how I can work beyond challenges to overcome them.
The habit that will be most important to me during this course will be the last one, 7.5 playing. Being able to practice the technology and gain confidence in using it will be most beneficial for me.
The habit that will be easiest for me will to be viewing problems as challenges. I am very good about visualizing the end of something and getting there despite the challenges along the way. Setting small goals and achieving them and then setting another is usually how I can work beyond challenges to overcome them.
The habit that will be most important to me during this course will be the last one, 7.5 playing. Being able to practice the technology and gain confidence in using it will be most beneficial for me.
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