Week 6 Animoto Video

Here is a snap shot of my world. Enjoy!

Week 5 Mid Term Reflection using Audio Boo

listen to ‘Part 1 mid term reflection’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘Part 2 Mid Term Reflection’ on Audioboo

Week 5 The Connected Educator Reflection

It has been 15 years since I've read a textbook for a college course!  Juggling the reading requirements took a little to get used to.  

I was particularly fascinated by the organization of the chapters.   Two portions of the text resonated with me.  First, I liked  the suggested activities.  It is the first time that I was able to connect with people who were reading the same book as I.    It was this connection to other people that really impressed me.  Whether it was through Facebook posts, examining blogs, or seeing project based learning ideas it was powerful to see the work of others.   Another intriguing portion of each chapter was the "Think About It" section.  I really like that it provided an opportunity for reflection which teachers know is so valuable for learning. 


The one tool that I have become an avid fan of is the Diigo account for social bookmarking.   It has solved a few of the issues I had with organizing websites and bookmarking in my favorites.    The idea of tagging websites and other things I find on the internet is new to me.  Trying to figure out a tagging system and creating lists need to be better developed but I can honestly say I've used it everyday and have been able to retrieve data rather quickly.  I'd like to introduce Diigo to the staff at school.  I think they would find it to be helpful too.  I've shown Diigo to the Pastor's wife from church as well.  The other day in class I introduced it to a small group of students and hope to be able to use it for an upcoming project.  

Chapter 2 was my least favorite chapter so far.  While certainly I understand the reasoning behind the need for providing data, research, and introducing new terms, it just was a dry chapter.  I wanted action.

Chapter 3 was better.  I enjoyed learning about the ways to construct knowledge as well as investigating the problem based learning websites.  While I would really like to have more project based work in the classroom, it looks like I will need time to plan and organize them.  (The planning looks very intense.)  So needless to say I may have to plan that out this summer when I have more free time.   

Wordle.net and Vimeo.com were also interesting to me.  I've decided to have students write a summary about something we've studied in social studies.  Then they can cut their summaries into Wordle and print them out.  I can always have them turn in both the summary and the Wordle, but I think it will create motivation and engagement to complete the summary. 

I recently changed positions at my current school and have come to realize that collegiality is difficult to achieve, as the book points out clearly.  Perhaps I will be able to change some opinions and foster an environment of problem solving, not complaining.  At least I recognize that if I cannot get what I need from my colleagues I know how to find a blog and search out professional learning networks.  

Blogging has been a challenge for me.  Writing is not a strength of mine, nor something I enjoy.  However, I do like to read and enjoyed reading posts.  I found the RSS feeds and Feedly to be rather easy to use, once I become familiar with each.  

It is my hope that this journey will continue and that I can sustain this work and continue to be reflective in my practices.  

(PS...I am so happy...I learned how to capture a screen shot, turn it into a JPEG, and insert it into the blog!)

Week 4 Voice Thread

Thoroughly enjoyed Voice Thread.  Take a look at the comments.  https://voicethread.com/share/4363293/

Week 4 Digital Platforms Shape our Learning

Mr. Rogers had it right from the beginning, PBS rocks!  I thoroughly enjoyed the video. 

I was surprised from the beginning.  I had predicted that the video was going to spotlight high school or college students doing the work.  Considering that I began this course as a 20^th century teacher I think I’ve moved quickly in my understanding that there is a real need for me to change.  There are only a few parts of me that are hesitant about doing this.  Perhaps one of the few remaining barriers was removed.  If students this young demonstrate such a high level of thinking, than really my own students and children should be able to as well.  I can’t imagine that the teachers are more capable than me or that their students are better than mine. 

The difference really must be the way in which technology is used.  One of the last barriers is me.  Can I be the old dog that learns a new trick?   I’d like to observe the teacher’s lesson plans and planning process, checklists, and assessments.  I’d like to compare their work to mine to see how drastically different mine is.  I’m curious how far I am away from being able to do this.  We didn’t see the discussions or the practice work (all the pedagogy) that I assume the students and teachers did in the previous days or weeks.

It was fascinating to see how libraries and after school organizations have changed their style, not their mission.  These places used to be places to do your homework or shoot some hoops.  Now they are offering digital media; helping kids become passionate about their interests.  Because they know that if kids develop an interest and passion they will figure out a way to learn.  

I can hear some of the faculty members at work balk about digital media.  It will mean another thing.  I would tell then that in order to change they will need to unlearn, grieve, and re-learn.  I would also tell that that although it moves away from the traditional reading and writing activities, it replaces it with meaningful, engaging, and motivational ways to learn.  While reading and writing are required they are no longer the focus for the final product.  It is also important that teachers see the success students are having in the classroom.  Just like this week's video gave me an idea of that success. 

It is interesting to ponder the idea that 20^th Century Learning was just about the content.  21^st Learning is about moving from the individual learning the content to the collective experience where the learner not only has to learn but teach others something they have learned.  21^st Learning empowers the individual to travel down a different path where they will learn to be confident, creative, and believe that they can contribute something.   Perhaps teachers need to move their pedagogy to the 21st Century for the real reason of meeting the learner where they are instead of demanding the learner to meet the teacher.  Perhaps that is the key to motivating the most difficult students?  (I think I just connect to differentiated instruction.)

As a side note, I have been really curious about how to embed a video into my blog.  So let's see what I can find and do!  Here is a little video about how many teachers feel and will continue to feel if they choose to stay in the 20th Century.  

(Oh my gosh, that was EASY!)