Free Web 2.0 Tools?

Are free tools worth the price?

Free tools are definitely worth the price and should be used and brought into the classroom. Here are a few reasons:
*They provide an opportunity to enhance collaborations
*promotes positive communication
*creates a digital classroom
*meaningful to students lives, as they learn for their unknown futures
*teaches leadership and responsibility (global citizenship)
*teachers need to practice, be patient and engage in lifelong learning

Free web 2.0 tools not only support the ideas listed above, but are multidisciplinary, and can easily be incorporated into any classroom setting for any subject. Teachers will develop patience as the tools are learned, practiced, and taught to students and colleagues. Keeping up to date in the digital world, by continuing to collect and use valuable resources that are meaningful to students today will prepare students for their futures. When students use web 2.0 tools they are intrinsically motivation because their creation has a purpose since the audience could potentially be endless.

As teachers if we explore with new web 2.0 tools that are constantly developed and changing, we will be able to take information and apply it to new settings that affect not only student lives but the way we teach and learn with our students. There may be times when we learn from our students , as well. As long as the lines of communication are open and afford everyone in the learning community the opportunity to participate as they are comfortable, learning will occur. We can also communicate with teachers to give suggestions about what works best for which subject/grade level or just give a comment based on a tool we've learned enhancing what we do best as teachers -share ideas.

Ahh, a break from Technology

I just returned from a week-long trip in Rincon, located in Puerto Rico. Leaving my cell phone and computer home was the best decision I could have made. A vacation is all about relaxation, so why have updates every few seconds interfering with a stress-free week on an Island??

Life down there was different! Things were simple and reminded me of when I was growing up. Rather than accessing the internet for information, even though most areas were wireless, we spoke with "locals" to seek information. People were extremely helpful and pleasant to talk to, as we received lots of information through actual face to face conversation. I'm not used to that anymore. Here in NY mostly everything we do is through the internet.

Not only was the people interaction different, but the pace of living....as we were on Island Time, which at first was challenging to adjust with, but by the end of the week, I had not a worry as to what day it was or the time. A break from technology and the fast paced environment that surrounds me today was the best way I could have spent this past week.

PS. One really interesting thing I learned was a feature of the iPhone...one of my friends traveling loaded her eTicket using her phone. As we boarded and went through security checkpoints, the airline scanned the barcode her phone displayed instead of the eTicket that I had to walk around with. Pretty cool, but as for now, something I would not recommend, because how do you shut off the cell phone for the remainder of the trip and not be tempted to connect to the world digitally??

Conditions for Using Technology

Think different. Those two words define who a teacher is and what a teacher does to "teach." Sure we have curriculum and a plan to follow, but how we go about carrying that plan out is what makes us teachers who aren't afraid to change with the technology changes that are emerging as we enter into the future. Change is happening all around us and we need to accept it, embrace it, use it and teach with it.

But in order for teachers, new and seasoned ones, to accept the technology changes, I think technology needs to be easily incorporated into the daily plan; i.e. ease of use, time to practice and accessible on a daily basis (preferably in each classroom, rather than signing up for the lab). School administration also needs to be supportive of the changes teachers are facing and help in any way possible, as long as communication is open and occurs frequently.

If we are trying to teach the students of today for their own futures, we'll need to be willing to take on challenges, continue learning as fast as the changes are occurring, provide and seek resources and most of all be patient and encouraging to students and ourselves. After all, no one ever said change would come easy. So let's think different.

Already?

So it's that time of the semester, when there are only 2 classes left and so much still to do! I'm in the process of perfecting my technology skills, while thinking about discussions that have occurred last week, trying to imagine a response, all while trying to pack for a vacation!

Talk about busy, the vacation I'm about to take at the end of the week will be well deserved, in more ways than one! But until then, I have to keep focused on my work so I can finish the end of the semester with the least stress possible, when I return.

Talk about technology

Wow. I went for my first MRI's this past week. I was amazed with the technology! As soon as I walked down the stairs, there were two CD's with my images ready to come home with me. Talk about speedy results! It was probably a 3 minute wait from leaving the imaging machine to acquiring the CD's. Now if only I knew how to read them!

The days of Fall are here

Fall is here, officially. I'm not quite ready to put away the summer stuff and pack away the warmer weather attire, but I am back in the swing of things as far as school. So I guess that means shorter days, cooler nights, less time outdoors and more time spent indoors, accomplishing things which have been neglected up to this point. School is another big focus, for now, until I realize it's time to start Holiday Shopping. Would you believe that stores are carrying Christmas items already? I'm just waiting for Valentine's stuff to appear on the shelves. Seriously, school has been active and I'm learning lots while looking forward to this semester, but I already feel that it's going to be a busy one...

Welcome to Fall 2008

Wow. Where did the summer go? It seems that just yesterday it was last semester, with a whole summer ahead. Well ok, I can't complain, I've been to the beach, went on a mini-vacation, took 6 credits in Grad school, went on numerous interviews and had time to just be me. But all good things must come to an end, well a temporary end.
Fall semester has begun and I'm a little uneasy. Who knew there would be so much information to comprehend in one short meeting. I know it will get easier, I just need time to take it all in. Here I go!

Summer sessions complete!

What an experience. Looking back, I can't believe how fast a one week intensive course flies by. Before I knew it, we were sharing our final products, of which so much time was invested throughout the week. The Technology Integration course was by far the most enjoyable. My entire week, both inside class and outside, was spent thinking about Web 2.0 tools and how to connect museums to my curriculum. I was constantly tossing ideas around, changing my ideas and products...I think I even forgot to eat one day. It was so hard to step away from the work, that I'd leave class thinking and continue working once I was home. By the end of the week I was completely satisfied with my products and all the time I spent working diligently, I was ready for the weekend. And how great that weekend felt, knowing I've completed one course and could step out of that frame of mind.
I've also completed my first online course. That was exciting, and challenging at first, because all the communications were through the computer, but a few days in and I was comfortable. I surprised myself with the photographs I was able to take with my own camera. By the end of the course, I was able to improve my photographing techniques so less "photoshop-ing" occurred, and a more natural shot was captured. I still need some work, but this is after all a continuous learning experience.

Once again it's that time....

How quickly this spring semester has flown by... we're down to only 3 classes left! It feels like I was just saying that, not that long ago, except it was much colder outside. This semester has been exciting and engaging. Aside from working on a great collaboration project with four members from my TEAM, getting my Efolio up, running and updated often, I attended a Conference which was very exciting!

However, I am looking forward to summer! I've been busy and just need some time to relax :)

Will technologies shape Education in 2008?

Yes! Technology will assist in shaping education in 2008. In TEAM alone, we use the tools which are considered "social operating systems" or social networking. Now that I am familiar with social bookmarking, I truly appreciate the fact that it is used to organize work and show others what work we engage in and leaves a trail behind of our current lives.

Aside from social bookmarking, collaborative web technologies and videos are already being used in classrooms. As far as using videos, it's a great way for content to be presented, as another way for students to view new information. With the internet and so many choices out there, teachers can be selective to choose what they want to focus on and have the ability to chose the quality (amateur or professionally created). We should be grateful for the vast information right at our fingertips.

Metacognition

* This response is geared toward the secondary level*

As a student, several years ago, when it came time to take the finals or regents in June, after practicing and engaging in work for the previous nine months, there were certain subjects in which I felt well prepared, specifically Math, Science and English. Then there was social studies, which not only was it not really my favorite, but I always felt like I wasn't prepared. I wonder if it was the teacher? But how is that possible? The teacher isn't responsible for my actions, whether I decide to engage fully or not. Saying that, to better prepare students today, I think as teachers we have a really big role in that. Of course students are contributors to their own success and self-regulation to feel better prepared. But there are things the teacher can do to assist students.

One way that teachers can help students develop meta cognition is within the daily lessons. Teachers can use the aim, to set a goal, which is sub-divided from the long term, so students understand what the primary accomplishment for the day(s) should be. The aims from the entire unit should serve as the long-term goal (Schunk).
A web 2.0 tools which I see helpful to this is a concept map, with the long term goal in the center and each branch with the sub-divided goal, in this case the aims from the lesson. It provides students with a visual in addition to their notes and handouts, but it also helps them keep goals(units of study) orderly when it comes time to looking back.

Another thing teachers can do to help students is to internally motivate them so the student begins to take ownership of their own learning, which in turn would increase their confidence and they'd begin to value their learning to assist in taking steps toward developing self-regulation. (Self Regulation ppt) It is important for the student to understand how much of the topic they already know, but they should be able to compare the current task at hand, to their current performance. (Schunk)
A technology tool which could help the teacher accomplish this when beginning to plan the lessons, could be to use Survey Monkey, Poll Daddy or a QuickTopic. These tools would allow the student to communicate what their interests are. If the teacher is aware of the students' interests, students would have an easier time taking ownership of their learning. It also allows the student to let the teacher know what they already know about the topic, providing the teacher formulate clear, direct questions, which could easily be answered by students.


Finally, the third thing teachers can do is to ask questions which would guide the students in the right direction, learn how to analyze feedback, whether it's from the teacher or peers via cooperative learning, and finally to recognize success. Challenging the students with a question they may not know how to answer, by asking them to research or hypothesize a path toward a solution would assist with developing self-regulation.
One way I see technology helping this idea is to create an online collaborative tool where students could post their answers/hypothesis for others within the class, including the teacher, to view and be able to provide feedback directly on that document.

Well these are only three suggestion I've come up with for now about how teachers can help students develop self-regulation and integrate technology. Taking these small steps, focusing on student learning could help many students avoid feeling unprepared at times when cumulative exams arise.

Well it's January....

...and class has resumed. Even though the break felt long, the time in between blended the end of the fall semester with the beginning of this semester. It's good to be back and see familiar faces. I am looking forward to developing my portfolio with Dreamweaver and focusing on Adobe CS3 in various workshops. But like I've experienced in the Fall semester, before I know it, it will be May and summer classes will be starting.....

Cognitive Learning Enviornments

Cognitive learning environments focus on helping students encode information meaningfully to long-term memory so that it can be easily retrieved.

When I was student teaching in 7th grade math I was unaware that my cooperating teacher was trying to embed in me the importance of helping students encode information meaningfully. Up until this reading, I really just thought the way she taught was how everyone in the district did. Not one of my peers or supervisors, from the college, mentioned the word cognitive. I really wish someone did. Well here's another one of those connections that I am discovering as I engage in TEAM. How exciting!!

Anyway, in my future classroom as a teacher to facilitate this process I will start each day's lesson with a Do-Now that reminds students of their prior knowledge, of the topic at hand, by including several examples to be worked on. Once they are discussed, aside from posting the aim, or objective I will include a line for prior knowledge. When students look back at their notes, which I would hope occurs, they will see those word(s) and hopefully be able to integrate the new material with the knowledge that is in their long term memory. As the teacher, who is initiating learning, this would assist students to make a connection to their own prior knowledge.

Not only does this help the students, as they construct their own knowledge, but it helps the teacher. Those students, who perhaps, don't have the appropriate prior knowledge for the current topic would be given an opportunity to correct that.

A final comment, as with most topics in math even though they do relate to each other, there are distinct units within the curriculum. One technology that I can think of that might be helpful in the classroom, would be to use MindMeister. Creating a map of prior knowledge and then branching off with the "newer" material would remind students of the knowledge they have and are creating. Keeping the map updated and readily available to students outside the classroom would be important. Students would be able to access the map as they continue their schooling through the grades. You never know! It might help that 9th grader make a connection to the topic that was covered in 7th grade, in one day! I am sure that as I continue my work with TEAM, more technologies will be useful to assist in the facilitation of a cognitive teacher!

Only 3 Classes left??

Wow. How fast everything this semester has happened! Even though as I think back to the first day of class, getting our color coded name tags and introducing our partners to the teammates, it seems like it was just last week.

Fast forward to November 5th. Three EEVC Warm Ups were completed and packaged. Workshops have been completed. Many tools have been introduced, which I can't wait to start using.

Somewhere in between, all the confusion and curiosity lessened and the program as a whole just started to make sense. With each class, more confidence has come from within, that I, a relatively new technology user, can use all the tools I've been exposed to.

I know that the next three classes are going to come and go so fast, but I am glad that I spend time each week immersed in a learning environment that I control, based on my needs and learning style. It will be interesting, during the month break, when I start to create my website. I'm very excited!!

Constructivism, eh?

Since reading through the Constructivist materials I am beginning to understand TEAM. Since orientation I was a little confused about the reason for all the collaborative work that I'd be engaging in during the 2 years. Now it makes sense. Collaborative learning occurs when there is social negotiation so there is better understanding, use and retention. It totally makes sense. Looking back to my undergrad years, collaborative learning rarely occurred. I have a feeling if it would have, I might have walked away with a completely different experience.

So all of that got me thinking about the constructivist learning environment for students. Student teaching for me was a time to explore the many different ways of teaching. My mentors always stressed the importance of multiple representations to ensure that each learner was learning. But, it's much more than that. Sure I've learned about constructivism in psychology courses, but I didn't really understand how to apply it in the classroom.

Within the mathematical content, it's crucial that students engage in tasks that are meaningful, and along with prior knowledge develop their problem solving skills while actively involved. Just as with TEAM, it's important for students to have social interactions while they embark on learning and take ownership. By creating a learning environment where students work with one another, they will be able to take more away with them, for immediate use and in the future, when they enter the real world. The skills learned while engaging in collaborative work are lifelong skills which will be a part of them, always. Those skills include but aren't limited to the ability to problem solve, think critically, reflect on oneself and interact socially.

As far as the methods for creating such an environment, the possibilities are endless. Aside from ensuring that the material pertains to the students lives, there are so many activities where students can take ownership of their own learning, especially when you realize how many ways there are to obtain solutions, to many topics within the curriculum. Of course feedback and modeling would be used, but ensuring that students can perform on their own is the true meaning of all of this. What good is it if students watch and leave the room clueless?

Photostory or iPhoto?

PhotoStory is only available for pc's, which is sort of disappointing! iPhoto, is similar but just not the same. For Warm Up 2, our group chose to use PhotoStory for presenting our ideas, and even though I personally didn't use it, I really liked it.

Over the past week, I explored iPhoto slideshows and found that it wasn't as user friendly of which I expected from a Mac, since everything else seems that way. As I explore deeper, accessing the help section, I hope to appreciate it as much as I hoped.

Rainy weather isn't so bad!

So even though the sun hasn't shined in oh about 4 days, it's not so bad. This weather keeps me indoors. But by staying indoors I've been navigating through new websites and applications, enhancing my learning with TEAM. I even created a 3D Avitar of me! How cool!!

EEVC Workshops

Well, since my last post, I am pleased with the amount of new knowledge I am obtaining as I engage in the learning process with TEAM. The workshops, in addition to class time have really been beneficial to me.

It all started with iMovie. The objective of the workshop was to record a 4 minute video, from anywhere on Campus, about anything, ensuring that there were at least 4 clips (pauses in the recording). Working in groups of four, I have to say I had a lot of fun. It didn't feel like a workshop at all. The second phase was to begin learning about editing in iMovie. That's where it was challenging. Us Mac users had one of the three versions of iMovie, which were entirely different, as far as editing. Christine was very helpful and felt terrible that there were so many versions, with differences that were difficult to understand. Tutorials await my attention so I can proceed with the edits of our movie!

I also took two online workshops with Michele. They were so cool. I've never taken an online course, before, so it was very interesting. With all the technology glitches, I want to point out that Michele is a very, very patient person. Once all the technology issues were resolved, assignments were distributed. Both nights entailed, viewing websites pertaining to the topic of the workshop, individually, and then engaging in discussion as a group. It was really cool that as someone was talking about a site they visited, I was able to load and navigate "with them" as we were talked through the pros, cons and uses. The best part about the workshop was that I was in my house, comfortable and didn't have to worry about a commute home!

I am looking forward to the remaining workshops. It was great to meet other people and have fun while learning. Most of the information I obtained at the past workshops, will be valuable to me as I embark on my teaching journey.

What I hope to Learn

When I first heard about this program from a colleague of mine in the QC Program, I was eager to learn all about it. Since the "interview" with this program I was amazed at how many resources are available to educators. My student teaching expeirence definitely lacked the technology portion. Of course I used PowerPoint and SmartBoard, but I am looking forward to learning about other ways to integrate technology into the classroom.

I am unsure of so many applications that exist which can be brought into the classroom. When I begin teaching, I hope that all of my students and parents can see what's occurring in the classroom on a daily basis. Opening the paths of communication to parents and students will help develop relationships. Using technology will assist me with this concern.

Browsing through the list of workshops, I am eager to continue my learning and apply it to my profession. I have always loved learning and will continue to learn. I believe this program will guide me with my own learning process as I begin to develop an understanding for technology in the classroom.