I could have sworn that I had completed this task, but I guess I forgot to write my post. Initial when I attempted to complete this task, I read several different blogs that interest me. My favorite blog is “Cool Teacher” However, the one in which I am writing this blog is from Creative Literacy. The blog written on Curly’s Summer Reading reminds me of my daughter. In this blog the author tell have she got her eight year old son interested in summer reading by caring the books in the car. While driving from one destination to another, her son reads his books. I used a similiar technique with my daughter, I use to play books of tape while we travel in the car to school, vacations, etc. She is now an avid reader.
During this task, I viewed several videos from YouTube and TeacherTube. They were excellent. Here’s a short synopsis of the videos:
Teaching Reading is Teaching Content- This video showed how educators need to go beyond the scope of teaching phonemic awareness, vocabulary, and reading strategies. Much of comprehension is based on students prior and background knowledge of the content. The video indicated that in order for students to make connections between words and comprehensible knowledge, we also need to teach the content subjects such as social studies and science. However in lower grades only about 5% of instructions is focused on content.
3 Steps for 21st Century Learning- This video focused on teachers moving their students into the 21st century through competition, cooperation, and collaboration. In order for teachers to meet these challenges, we need to develop classrooms that allow students to collaborate through talking, building and creating with each others and global students (reached through the use of technology).
Whiteford Community Clubhouse -Reality Show- This video was produced by the videography group at a camp that my daughter is presently attending. The video is based on the day to day antics of the camp.
Mr. Duey- Fraction Official Video – In this video, Mr Duey sings and gives a visual on how to change an improper fraction to a mixed number and percentage. I plan on viewing this video with my class in the fall. I embeded this video in this blog.
Have you noticed the CC logo on any websites you visit? Did you wonder what it meant?
No, I have never paid attention to the CC log on any websites that I visited, but now that I know what it is I will be paying attention.
Do you think CC will impact the way students learn and create projects? How?
CC will give students more flexibility to create and enhance their projects, because it allows the students to use others ideas in their projects
Do you use digital images, audio or video clips from the web in your teaching (or professional practice)?
I am learning how to enhance my teaching through the use of digital images, audios, and video clips.However as I gain more knowledge and acquire the skills to upload the above, I will be incorporatingmore images, audios, and videos in my projects.
Do you ever share content on the web?
Anything that I develop on the web, I would be more than happy to share with others.
Who owns your teaching materials?
We own our teaching materials, but materials creative on the web can be used by others with some restrictions under “Creative Commons.”
What are some potential negatives for using CC?
The only potential negative I see from using CC is that their maybe authors, musician, photographers, etc.that would like to make their work restrictive.They may not want others using their ideas.
I chose to do my slideshow on Harriet Tubman. The slideshow shows her birthplace; her home in Auburn N.Y.; portraits of her as senior citizen and middle age woman; and the home that she established for elderly African American exslaves. I chose to make this video, because in 5th grade Social Studies we do a unit on Slavery.
I think podcasting is another excellent way for students to give a presentation of projects. Podcast are also another means for students to learn from other. Students can listen to other students podcast while researching or learning about a subject. There are many podcast shows that provide audios for books, storytelling, news, and music. Students can also use podcast to work on their communication and reading skills. There are numerous ways in which podcasting can be utilized in the classroom.
I think that Flickr is an excellent resource to use in developing lessons. There are just so many photographs to choose from. Even with the tagging system, it is overwhelming. However, the pictures are awesome. The challenge I will have is in making sure that I get permission when necessary, and remember to cite the sources.
The pictures that I downloaded will be used in a slideshow presentation on “Harriet Tubman” a famous conductor on the “underground railroad”. I plan on using the video in my social studies class
I am fascinated with how you can actually filter information through RSS. I love to read educational articles and books. I know that I will be using my reader to keep abreast to new things happening in education. One of my subscriptions included “Creative Literacy“. This subscription included excellent and creative strategies that teachers can use to teach and expose students to literacy. I will definitely be able to use some of these strategies in my classroom.
My goal as lifelong learner is using technology to my advantage. Our students are receptive to technology. Technology in the classroom allows for more student engagement in lessons, and technology encourages the student to takes on more responsibility for developing learning of their own interest. Becoming a proficient user of technology , will only enhance my ability to effectively teach my students. My goal is to learn as much as I can, so that I can better serve those that I teach.
I was quite impressed with the numerous uses of Wikis. I would definitely like to make this technique apart of my classroom. Wikis allow students to be actively engaged in their learning. It allows students and teachers the flexibility of collaborating from computers in a paperless environment. A teacher can give a individual or group assignment - the students can quickly access the assignment from home, school, etc – the teacher can provide feedback or group members can include their input. All this can be done without being confine to time constraints of the classroom or other activites. The teacher assess and monitor students input in group projects. Classroom management of multiple tasks can be easily managed using this technique,
Some of the different uses I observed from the Wikis were as follows:
- Primary math teachers and students communicated with schools across the world. The teachers used web cameras allowing the students to observe what they were learning in mathematics class.
- In an advanced mathematic class, the teacher included the syllabus with all the requirements, group projects were assigned, and the students groups were able to add, modify, and visualize their progress in completing their projects.
- One first grade class had their grandparents compare/contrast schools of today with schools of the past. The students and grandparents were able to list the differences under specific catgories use Wikis.
- In WiKi WikI Teaching, I like how the teacher developed the science vocabulary assignment. She gave students a meaningful assignment that extended the lesson beyond looking up words in the glossary or dictionary. I especially liked how she engaged students in developing study guides using Wikis. Some of the pages were quite creative. This was an innovative way of getting her students to organize, review and research the information they ‘d learned.
In regard to my future use of Wikis, I could see myself using Wikis in multiple ways. One way that I know I will be using it is in Writers Workshop. Students will be able to create their stories using the writing process, and I will be able to manage and conference with students more effectively.
What do you notice about the genre of blog writing in general?
I see blogging as excellent tool in allowing educators to comment on educational topics of concern, collaborate on effective teaching strategies with colleagues, and establish a written communication with students and parents.I see edublogs as good teacher stuff. No longer do I have to spend hours on the web researching information on specific subject manner, looking for ideas in teacher resources stores or books stores. Now I can find information quickly on edublog.
(How) is blog reading different from other types of reading? How is it similar?
Blog reading is similiar to other types of reading because it services multiple purposes. I think that the biggest difference in blog reading is that the material being read can be updated and distributed immediately. Therefore, the biggest difference in blog reading and other types of reading is that the reader has access to updated, archived, and related articles under one site.
(How) is blog writing different from other types of writing? How is it similar?
Blog writing allows the writer to provides links throughout the article; manage multiple articles under one site; write to a broad audience ( students, teachers, parents, etc) for multiple purposes; and allows the writer to write, edit, and update information at anytime of the day. I think that blog writing is similiar to other writings in that it is written in an organized textual format including dates of publications.
How does commenting contribute to the writing and meaning-making?
The comments give a broader perspective on topics, allows the students and teachers to communicate or conference, and provides an interactive public audience.
Is there a “blogging literacy?” How does blogging affect the way we read and write?
Blogging allows us to manage, communicate, collaborate, and document information in an up to date manner.
(How) can blogging facilitate learning?
Blogging can facilitate learning in that it allows a means for teachers, students, and parents, etc, to gain knowledge, distribute, research, collaborate and manage information in a timely manner.
