The three main ideas that I got from this article were:
1. Podcasting has been around for a while and it is becoming increasingly popular in education especially in post-secondary education. Adam Curry is credited for creating the first podcast in 2004. The term is a combination of Ipod and broadcasting. Also briefly discussed how podcasting works.
I'm not suprised to hear podcasting is widely used in education. Also, not suprised to hear that it has been around for a 5 years.
2. Podcasting should be used to support learning. It should not be the focal point of learning.
I agree with this idea very much. Podcasting is a great way to reach homebound learners, visually impaired learners, learners with reading disabilities and frequently absent students. It can also be engaging for the learners. However, just using podcasting as a novelty teaching tool is a waste of the technology for novelties soon wear off.
3. Students can produce podcasts as a team to increase interactivity and team building.
Sure this can be used as a team project. But, so can many other non-technology related tasks. I don't understand why the auther of this study thinks that podcasting in itself stimulates teamwork. The learner responses indicate that the part they liked most about the activity was the interaction with other students. I get similar feedback from my students when we do cooperative projects. But, the technology does not promote the teamwork. In fact, when I asked my students if they wanted to use a camera to record the project they opted not to use. They even requested that I not tape them. I had to persuade them to let me record the project.
So, while I feel that the team project studied here was effective, I do not feel that it had anything to do with podcasting.
Conclusion: Podcasting definitely has it's place in education. Anytime more learners can be reached from different locations that is a plus. And while podcasting can be motivating in itself, educators should be careful not to focus the attention on the podcast, but rather, on the learning that comes from it.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Vodcasting Ideas
Vodcasting sounds like a great way to make a resource abailable to students to view when they need it. A podcast can be posted and then referred to throughout the school year. It can also be used for homebound students or absent students to view a demonstration they missed in class. I have three general ideas for vodcasts:
1. I could do a vodcast on screen printing. Screen printing is an extensive process. If a student is absent I don't have the time to reshow them in class. Also, since it is so extensive, students often forget how to do it. So they can use the vodcast to refer to each time they go through the process.
2. I could show a demonstration on basic mechanical drawing techniques. This is a skill that we use often in my Intro. To Tech. class. I do a demonstration in class,but, many kids forget. A vodcast could be a good resource for students to refer to as they need it.
3. I could do a demonstration on freehand drawing techniques. Again this can be a valuable resource for students to refer back to. I have students use freehand drawing to create thumbnail sketches and rough designs.
1. I could do a vodcast on screen printing. Screen printing is an extensive process. If a student is absent I don't have the time to reshow them in class. Also, since it is so extensive, students often forget how to do it. So they can use the vodcast to refer to each time they go through the process.
2. I could show a demonstration on basic mechanical drawing techniques. This is a skill that we use often in my Intro. To Tech. class. I do a demonstration in class,but, many kids forget. A vodcast could be a good resource for students to refer to as they need it.
3. I could do a demonstration on freehand drawing techniques. Again this can be a valuable resource for students to refer back to. I have students use freehand drawing to create thumbnail sketches and rough designs.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
21st Century Skills At BHS
At Bangor Area High School we do an average job at best at fostering 21st Century skills. The only tool we use to foster these skills are the teacher websites. It seems like we have some ideas in the works. And we have the capability to teach 21st century skills. But, for one reason or another we do not use these technologies.
We have computers in all classrooms. But, the RAM on the computers is low and that limits our capabilities right off the bat. And since we cannot use jump drives our storing capabilities are very limited. It is very hard to run a graphics class when the students cannot simply take pictures at home, save them to a jump drive, bring them in and upload them to Photoshop.
We have internet access in all classrooms. This feature opens up a lot of 21st century doors. But, blog sites and email sites are all blocked so that closes some of those windows. The availability of google docks creates a lot more storage space for my graphics students so that solves that problem. We also have Netstorage which is a service that allows students to access their home directory from home. so they can upload pictures and files from their computer. But, internet access also gives us acces to wikis, moodles and other interactive tools and we are not taking full advantage of them. Why not?
I don't think our staff is trained properlly on the use of these tools. I am a Tech. Ed. teacher and I never herd of moodles or wikis until a year ago. And I am just now being trained at ESU on wikis, blogs and webquests on my own accord. We have interactive whiteboards, but, only a handfull of teachers have been trained to use them. We have video conference cababilities, but agian, only a few teachers have been trained on this equipment.
I think another reason we don't foster 21st century skills is the reluctance by many teachers to change their routine and try something new. And to some extent I am also guilty of this. I was one of the few teachers trained on video conferencing and I have not used this tool once. But, it was not for lack of trying. I just couldn't get anything together. But, there are a handful of teachers who still refuse to use computers and the internet in the classrooms so I cannot see them using blogs or moodle pages even if they were trained.
To improve on our 21st century skills we need to first establish a plan. This plan will have to involve technology tools that can be closely monitored and controlled. We cannot risk damage to computers and the school network by allowing thumb drives. We then, need a department of teachers who are trained to teach teachers. Teachers need to be trained by other people who have been in the classroom and can forsee problems they may have. They can also relate better to teachers. Finally, we need 100% cooporation by the teachers. Teachers must be willing to break their routine and take a chance. We need to relinquish some control and allow the students to learn interacively. Teachers and administrators must work together, communicate and start developing these valuable 21st century skills.
We have computers in all classrooms. But, the RAM on the computers is low and that limits our capabilities right off the bat. And since we cannot use jump drives our storing capabilities are very limited. It is very hard to run a graphics class when the students cannot simply take pictures at home, save them to a jump drive, bring them in and upload them to Photoshop.
We have internet access in all classrooms. This feature opens up a lot of 21st century doors. But, blog sites and email sites are all blocked so that closes some of those windows. The availability of google docks creates a lot more storage space for my graphics students so that solves that problem. We also have Netstorage which is a service that allows students to access their home directory from home. so they can upload pictures and files from their computer. But, internet access also gives us acces to wikis, moodles and other interactive tools and we are not taking full advantage of them. Why not?
I don't think our staff is trained properlly on the use of these tools. I am a Tech. Ed. teacher and I never herd of moodles or wikis until a year ago. And I am just now being trained at ESU on wikis, blogs and webquests on my own accord. We have interactive whiteboards, but, only a handfull of teachers have been trained to use them. We have video conference cababilities, but agian, only a few teachers have been trained on this equipment.
I think another reason we don't foster 21st century skills is the reluctance by many teachers to change their routine and try something new. And to some extent I am also guilty of this. I was one of the few teachers trained on video conferencing and I have not used this tool once. But, it was not for lack of trying. I just couldn't get anything together. But, there are a handful of teachers who still refuse to use computers and the internet in the classrooms so I cannot see them using blogs or moodle pages even if they were trained.
To improve on our 21st century skills we need to first establish a plan. This plan will have to involve technology tools that can be closely monitored and controlled. We cannot risk damage to computers and the school network by allowing thumb drives. We then, need a department of teachers who are trained to teach teachers. Teachers need to be trained by other people who have been in the classroom and can forsee problems they may have. They can also relate better to teachers. Finally, we need 100% cooporation by the teachers. Teachers must be willing to break their routine and take a chance. We need to relinquish some control and allow the students to learn interacively. Teachers and administrators must work together, communicate and start developing these valuable 21st century skills.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Using IWBs
In the article How Interactive Is Your Whiteboard I learned about three main ideas. The article discussed strategies for questioning students in a way that allows for more interaction on their part. These strategies ranged from giving students more time to answer and asking higher order thinking questions.
I also learned about the levels of interaction in a classroom. Funnelling is when the teacher leads students to a predetermined answer. Probing allows students to contribute their own ideas into the answer. This allows for more interaction on the part of the student. Collective reflection has the students interacting together to come to a conclusion.
I learned about appropriate use of interactive whiteboards. IWBs are not simply inteded to be an expensive LCD Projector, but, a meeting ground for interactive learning. IWBs allow students to create new ideas collaboratively as a class. Their thoughts are put together and manipulated on the IWB and combine to create a new concept that the class can claim as their own.
Interactive learning tools do not lead to learning by themselves. Interactive learning tools are just that. Tools for teachers to create an atmosphere of collaboration for learners. Without the creative manipulation from an educator, an interacitve learning tool will just be motivational novelty that soon wears off. Interactive learning tools are not automated and they are not creative. Like anything else it takes an innovative mind and a motivated body to create lessons and an atmosphere for interactive learning.
Educators can use inteactive communication tools to their best potential in many different ways.
1. Designing images that meet the needs of society. Studens can work together to create logos, flyers, brochures, etc. for local businesses and group. They can do this using simple design software like Microsoft Publisher or more sophisticated software like Adobe Illustrator.
2. Students can use software tools like inspiration or kidspiration to brainstorm ideas and thoughts for projects and activities. Students can brainstorm ideas for a new invention that can be used to solve a particular problem in the community.
3. Students can solve word problems toghether. Students can use the IWB as a communal piece of scratch paper to come up with an answer to a word problem. Students should be encouraged to come up to the board in 2s and 3s and not just one at a time. This allows more interaction by more students.
I like the idea of students working together to solve real-world problems together. IWBS can be used for brainstorming ideas, creating designs and also searching for information. The IWB allows the students to do this together as a team. This creates unity, good feelings, teamwork and social interaction.
I also learned about the levels of interaction in a classroom. Funnelling is when the teacher leads students to a predetermined answer. Probing allows students to contribute their own ideas into the answer. This allows for more interaction on the part of the student. Collective reflection has the students interacting together to come to a conclusion.
I learned about appropriate use of interactive whiteboards. IWBs are not simply inteded to be an expensive LCD Projector, but, a meeting ground for interactive learning. IWBs allow students to create new ideas collaboratively as a class. Their thoughts are put together and manipulated on the IWB and combine to create a new concept that the class can claim as their own.
Interactive learning tools do not lead to learning by themselves. Interactive learning tools are just that. Tools for teachers to create an atmosphere of collaboration for learners. Without the creative manipulation from an educator, an interacitve learning tool will just be motivational novelty that soon wears off. Interactive learning tools are not automated and they are not creative. Like anything else it takes an innovative mind and a motivated body to create lessons and an atmosphere for interactive learning.
Educators can use inteactive communication tools to their best potential in many different ways.
1. Designing images that meet the needs of society. Studens can work together to create logos, flyers, brochures, etc. for local businesses and group. They can do this using simple design software like Microsoft Publisher or more sophisticated software like Adobe Illustrator.
2. Students can use software tools like inspiration or kidspiration to brainstorm ideas and thoughts for projects and activities. Students can brainstorm ideas for a new invention that can be used to solve a particular problem in the community.
3. Students can solve word problems toghether. Students can use the IWB as a communal piece of scratch paper to come up with an answer to a word problem. Students should be encouraged to come up to the board in 2s and 3s and not just one at a time. This allows more interaction by more students.
I like the idea of students working together to solve real-world problems together. IWBS can be used for brainstorming ideas, creating designs and also searching for information. The IWB allows the students to do this together as a team. This creates unity, good feelings, teamwork and social interaction.
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