Overall I have found the Web 2 course enlightening. The challenge now is to take this "taste" of the available tools and turn it into a full teaching "menu".
The main fustration is the lack of PD time to properly incorporate these tools into the programme. I would like to see the English faculty given a realistic block of time to divide up the programmes for each year and develop E learning resources for allocated units of work.
If individual teachers could take ownership of one Web 2 tool they could then mentor others and provide ready made lessons using the technology.
As a Special Needs educator many of these tools are particularly exciting given the technology's ability to engage the learner and the capacity to differentiate without adding greatly to the workload of teachers.
Students are frequently able to work at their own pace and at varying degrees of complexity. Glogsters were a fabulous tool to engage my year 10 Life Skills students who felt a sense of success using this method to showcase their knowledge.
It is important to understand though, that Web 2 technology is of little use without meaningful pedagogy. Poorly constructed lessons are still ineffective even if they are delivered through Web 2.
I have commented on Janine Timillero's blog
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Module 10
A wiki is simply a website that allows users to create and edit work. This can be a very useful tool in an educational setting, its main advantage is that groups can work collaboratively to create information and develop understanding. As each student or group adds more material the information available grows. A wiki can be used for a myriad of purposes, from play building in English to sharing research and data.
The wiki also enables changes in the document to be tracked. It is possible to see who has made changes and when they occurred. Students work on the latest version but they can also look back and see how the document has developed.
It is important that information is checked, so that incorrect data or facts do not become "knowledge".
The use of wikis along with a range of web 2 tools that we have explored enable students to "learn how to learn" and allows them to develop new channels of communication. The use of the wiki in the classroom provides for differentiation within groups, gives a forum for weaker students to ask questions and allows for a community of learners who share ideas to develop.
The wiki also enables changes in the document to be tracked. It is possible to see who has made changes and when they occurred. Students work on the latest version but they can also look back and see how the document has developed.
It is important that information is checked, so that incorrect data or facts do not become "knowledge".
The use of wikis along with a range of web 2 tools that we have explored enable students to "learn how to learn" and allows them to develop new channels of communication. The use of the wiki in the classroom provides for differentiation within groups, gives a forum for weaker students to ask questions and allows for a community of learners who share ideas to develop.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Module 8
RSS stands for Rich Site Summary and is a format for delivering regularly changing web content. Ben Ticehursts analogy for this tool is " home delivery" the web comes to you rather than you going to the web.
RSS allows you to stay informed by getting the latest content from the sites you are interested in -you save time not needing to visit each site individually. You ensure privacy by not needing to join each sites email newsletter.
A number of web-based feed readers are available, you can use My Yahoo, Bloglines, or Google Reader. The benefit of Google Reader is that you can paste it to your iGoogle page. The find sites that syndicate content- look for the 'subscribe'icon on their pages and click to add them to your RSS.
How this works in the classroom
Not sure it has too many applications in the classroom but anything that saves time is valuable. Combining this tool with Deliicious will ensure teachers can keep abreast of developments in their particular area which they can share with colleagues.
Can create a list of websites that are useful for a particular assessment or topic. Catalogues web sites for research.
RSS allows you to stay informed by getting the latest content from the sites you are interested in -you save time not needing to visit each site individually. You ensure privacy by not needing to join each sites email newsletter.
A number of web-based feed readers are available, you can use My Yahoo, Bloglines, or Google Reader. The benefit of Google Reader is that you can paste it to your iGoogle page. The find sites that syndicate content- look for the 'subscribe'icon on their pages and click to add them to your RSS.
How this works in the classroom
Not sure it has too many applications in the classroom but anything that saves time is valuable. Combining this tool with Deliicious will ensure teachers can keep abreast of developments in their particular area which they can share with colleagues.
Can create a list of websites that are useful for a particular assessment or topic. Catalogues web sites for research.
Module 7
Delicious (previously Del.icio.us) is a free bookmarking web site that allows users to save and display favourite web sites across the internet and track hot topics. It gives you the ability to share information with other users. As Genny Bellamy explains it is rather like a "masterclass". "In its simplest form it is basically an electic online internet directory of people's browsing habits but it is also an example of "collective intelligence" that constantly adds, reviews and filters new information to help users to find the best information on a topic without having to trawl through a lot of junk" explains Cate Sinnaduri of SPC. Another advantage of sites such as Delicious is that your favourite sites are stored online and can be located on any computer you use, for example at work or at home. Besides keeping favourite links. Delicious also provides an organisational system to keep the tags in your word cloud managable and therefore easier to locate.
How this system can work in the classroom
I think the most obvious way this tool can be used in the classroom is for individual or group research. Teachers can add students to their Delicious site thereby having control over what sites they visit during a lesson as well as monitoring the work being done. For example, if I was teaching a lesson on Kenneth Slessor I could have 3 sites that I wanted the students to visit and read before finishing with a quiz from another site. By adding them to my Delicious site I can see if they have completed the work set following my directions.
Teahers can also use Delicious to contribute and benefit from an online professional learning community. We can see instantly what sites are the most popular on a particular topic and gather good resources quickly. We can also follow the blogs/articles/reviews of other educators and learn from what they are doing with their students.
Both teachers and students could also use this site to manage their own individual favourite sites etc and with the private button they can tag items they don't want to share with others.
How this system can work in the classroom
I think the most obvious way this tool can be used in the classroom is for individual or group research. Teachers can add students to their Delicious site thereby having control over what sites they visit during a lesson as well as monitoring the work being done. For example, if I was teaching a lesson on Kenneth Slessor I could have 3 sites that I wanted the students to visit and read before finishing with a quiz from another site. By adding them to my Delicious site I can see if they have completed the work set following my directions.
Teahers can also use Delicious to contribute and benefit from an online professional learning community. We can see instantly what sites are the most popular on a particular topic and gather good resources quickly. We can also follow the blogs/articles/reviews of other educators and learn from what they are doing with their students.
Both teachers and students could also use this site to manage their own individual favourite sites etc and with the private button they can tag items they don't want to share with others.
Module 9
Scootle is an excellent resource especially for Learning Support Students. The teacher can nominate a series of "lessons" and upload them creating a learning pathway. Students can use these exciting and interactive lessons at their own pace.
The teacher can choose a Stage and a KLA for e.g English, stage 4 and can select a 'lesson' on similies. Students are able to work independently and on an individual learning plan.Sound is usually an important feature of these resources.
Through Scootle the teacher can access open ended and interactive assessment tasks which the students can complete and print out, giving the teacher a record of work completed.
Scootle is of particular value at SPC where interactive whiteboards are an integral part of the teaching and learning process.
The teacher can choose a Stage and a KLA for e.g English, stage 4 and can select a 'lesson' on similies. Students are able to work independently and on an individual learning plan.Sound is usually an important feature of these resources.
Through Scootle the teacher can access open ended and interactive assessment tasks which the students can complete and print out, giving the teacher a record of work completed.
Scootle is of particular value at SPC where interactive whiteboards are an integral part of the teaching and learning process.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Module 6
This is essentially an organisational tool which allows the user to organise and display ideas in a systematic way.
Bubbl.us is a mindmapping tool which starts with a central idea and then by moving the mouse you can spin off subsets of ideas using the "child" and "sibling" button. This can be shared with others as a read only document or as a collabarative instrument.
Another of the free web tools is Glogster, this allows the user to create an online poster or web page to showcase their knowledge or ideas in an interesting and user friendly manner. Users can combine text, video, pictures, graphic and audio to create their own interactive online poster.
It can also be embedded into a Wiki, a blog or school or class website.
Glogster also has an adjunct called Glogster EDU which allows the educator to monitor the students work. This tool is much safer to use in terms of access than Glogster which is more open.
These free tools could really make homework or assessment tasks much more engaging for students and fun. Also easier to mark.
Visiting other Glogs can be very informative. Glogs can take the place of power points.
Glogs can be fed through the Smartboard for really interactive lessons. I wonder if it is possible to use Flickr to have access to a wider database of pictures. Sometimes it is limited in the choice of available images.
Both sites where relatively easy to use.
Bubbl.us is a mindmapping tool which starts with a central idea and then by moving the mouse you can spin off subsets of ideas using the "child" and "sibling" button. This can be shared with others as a read only document or as a collabarative instrument.
Another of the free web tools is Glogster, this allows the user to create an online poster or web page to showcase their knowledge or ideas in an interesting and user friendly manner. Users can combine text, video, pictures, graphic and audio to create their own interactive online poster.
It can also be embedded into a Wiki, a blog or school or class website.
Glogster also has an adjunct called Glogster EDU which allows the educator to monitor the students work. This tool is much safer to use in terms of access than Glogster which is more open.
These free tools could really make homework or assessment tasks much more engaging for students and fun. Also easier to mark.
Visiting other Glogs can be very informative. Glogs can take the place of power points.
Glogs can be fed through the Smartboard for really interactive lessons. I wonder if it is possible to use Flickr to have access to a wider database of pictures. Sometimes it is limited in the choice of available images.
Both sites where relatively easy to use.
Module 5
My understanding of digital storytelling is that is the combination of audio, videos and ideas.
Which can be achieved by using the following steps;
1) Create your idea using a mind map ( such as inspiration) or a story board.
2) You then find or create the media to express that idea, such as photos or video clips.
3)You then match it to an appropriate tool to display, your ideas such as a Pod or a Vod.
Definitions
Vod - (vodcast) which is a combination of video and broadcast a commonplace example is Youtube.
Pod - (Podcast) which is a combination of ipod and broadcast. It is a webfeed of audio files that can be downloaded the best know example of this is itunes.
I enjoyed exploring the examples on the tutorial but needed much more time to become familar and confident with this technology. I use itunes frequently for my ipod.
Use in the classroom - one of the first applications that came to mind was creating "audio" books or readings for students who have reading/ language difficulties. Rather than struggling to keep up with the class they could listen to the podcast and follow the text in the book.
Youtube has already been used quite extensively in the College to gain student engagment with a new topic, but careful examination of these clips is required as there is no censorship of this tool.
There are some excellent Pod and Vodcasts that have already been created by reliable sources such as NASA or CSIRO which could be useful for student research.
Which can be achieved by using the following steps;
1) Create your idea using a mind map ( such as inspiration) or a story board.
2) You then find or create the media to express that idea, such as photos or video clips.
3)You then match it to an appropriate tool to display, your ideas such as a Pod or a Vod.
Definitions
Vod - (vodcast) which is a combination of video and broadcast a commonplace example is Youtube.
Pod - (Podcast) which is a combination of ipod and broadcast. It is a webfeed of audio files that can be downloaded the best know example of this is itunes.
I enjoyed exploring the examples on the tutorial but needed much more time to become familar and confident with this technology. I use itunes frequently for my ipod.
Use in the classroom - one of the first applications that came to mind was creating "audio" books or readings for students who have reading/ language difficulties. Rather than struggling to keep up with the class they could listen to the podcast and follow the text in the book.
Youtube has already been used quite extensively in the College to gain student engagment with a new topic, but careful examination of these clips is required as there is no censorship of this tool.
There are some excellent Pod and Vodcasts that have already been created by reliable sources such as NASA or CSIRO which could be useful for student research.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Module 4
Flickr is an online photo managment and sharing application, where the basic accounts are free of charge. You simply upload photos or videos to the site from your camera or phone using email. Then using the partner product Picnik you can edit the image/s. This site also allows you to organise your photos into sets or collections making them easier to manage and find. I was also pleased that Flickr gives the user some control over the privacy of the images so that you can keep your photos completely private or choose what to share and who to share it with using the "invite only" function. The site also links to Snapfish so you can print or creatively publish your images in a variety of formats.
This would be very useful and stimulating in the classroom. This tool would motivate the students to be more creative in the presentation of their work by uploading photos to it allowing them to be more active in developing visual literacy. I would love to become more proficient with this tool and will attempt to spend time over the coming holidays.
This would be very useful and stimulating in the classroom. This tool would motivate the students to be more creative in the presentation of their work by uploading photos to it allowing them to be more active in developing visual literacy. I would love to become more proficient with this tool and will attempt to spend time over the coming holidays.
Module 3
Google docs is a free web tool which seems a bit clumsy to me. It was difficult to highlight words that were incorrect and it didn't have a Spellcheck. The cursor was difficult to manipulate. The tool itself allows the user to create,collaborate and share documents such as word docs, spreadsheets and power point presentations with others. The advantage of this is that all people who have been given access to the document can edit it in real time without having to send it backwards and forwards as an email attachment. Alternatively, the creator of the document can share it with others as a view only document. So for example if we are all working on a script for play building the students don't have to crowd around one computer they can all work on that script but from their own computer.
The document is always current thus eliminating errors.
Applications in the classroom are many - students can begin a piece of work at the College and continue to work on it at home without having to send it back and forth. Teachers can monitor and conference each students work and can work collaboratively with their colleagues from the college and home without having to attend meetings. It streamlines their time.
The document is always current thus eliminating errors.
Applications in the classroom are many - students can begin a piece of work at the College and continue to work on it at home without having to send it back and forth. Teachers can monitor and conference each students work and can work collaboratively with their colleagues from the college and home without having to attend meetings. It streamlines their time.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Module 2
I am looking forward to discussing in depth the use of NAPLAN SMART strategies with other teachers in a variety of KLA's and believe this would be a useful tool to do this with.
This blog would have widespread applications for discussions with other Learning Support teachers throughout NSW. It would be a good tool to explore their experiences and to see if other schools have had the same difficulties with the SMART data program.
It could be used to share resources and strategies. Learning Support in an independant school has the potential to become isolated- this is a great way of opening up the faculty to professional development in an area which is constantly evolving, especially in the area of adaptive technology. New applications ( especially those that are free and can be downloaded) can be shared.
This blog would have widespread applications for discussions with other Learning Support teachers throughout NSW. It would be a good tool to explore their experiences and to see if other schools have had the same difficulties with the SMART data program.
It could be used to share resources and strategies. Learning Support in an independant school has the potential to become isolated- this is a great way of opening up the faculty to professional development in an area which is constantly evolving, especially in the area of adaptive technology. New applications ( especially those that are free and can be downloaded) can be shared.
module 1
I am looking forward to feeling more confident with using this technology. I can see its potential in a learning environment and in particular communicating with other educators. As a learning support teacher it would be great to be able to share information and reflections with other LST in other schools together with teachers within our own College.
Next week I am attending a literacy programming planning meeting with literacy coordinators from CEO schools and other congregational schools this would be an excellent opportunity to set up a blogging network to enable easy communication with this group of educators. I can also use this tool to report back to the College and to share resources freely
Next week I am attending a literacy programming planning meeting with literacy coordinators from CEO schools and other congregational schools this would be an excellent opportunity to set up a blogging network to enable easy communication with this group of educators. I can also use this tool to report back to the College and to share resources freely
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