Petra\’s Spot

Lawrence Lessing makes a point that creativity has become democratised. In today’s culture, kids are expressing themselves via digital technology. “Tools of creativity have become tools of speech.” When they create using technology, are they ‘trespassing’?
I wonder if kids revolt copyright laws because so many are not creating original work but simply merging existing works together. If more effort was put into creating a new, original product, maybe kids would have more appreciation for the laws that protect a person’s creation.

Alan November makes a strong point that kids in the U.S. do not have a global work ethic. I commend those schools who offer, if not mandate, Spanish Immersion classes especially to elementary school children. The ability to learn another language is critical in today’s world. More and more what we deemed foreign is becoming common-place. Our students have to increase their knowledge of other cultures and the world outside their neighborhood.
The curriculum of our schools has to change to prepare kids to compete in an increasingly global world. The US seems to be losing its high position in producing college-educated scientists. We also continue to ego trip, thinking we are the best and largest while other countries like China are now producing large numbers of scientists in technology and engineering who will work at cheap wages. The interesting thing is that we can simply use the Internet to broaden kids global learning. A connected world.
I find November’s comment that ‘we should have the kids suffer more’ amusing. I can see his point though because our society seems to be catering more to kids now. From making things ‘politically correct’ to adapting curriculum where regular students aren’t working to their full potential.

Kevin Hodgson and Bonnie Kaplan incorporated Web 2.0 tools into a digital storytelling format. Short digital stories from each alphabet letter were collected. A blog was initially used to gather them. A program, JumpCut, was used for digital editing. Word was sent through their involvement with the National Storytelling project. Requirements were set on a two minute length, include personal stories if possible and use digital or stills to tell your story.

Art of Teaching, Passions and a Sense of Place were some of the common themes. Lessons learned are that you don’t have to know someone in order to collaborate with them. Talents can be shared with the common goal of benefiting students. Being compassionate, flexible and helpful most helped the two leaders to work through technical difficulties especially when they had to lean on others during this project. While the movie project centered around digital storytelling, at the heart was human collaboration.

I love the premise of this project. It’s one of those things that has me thinking of how to do a similar project at the middle school level. I can see merging Vanguard with our PBS team to create a movie to be shown at the end of the school year relating to our 3 R’s: Responsible, Respectful and Ready.

Sylvia Martinez discusses recruiting students to assist teachers in learning more about Web 2.0.  While the method of her presentation is low-tech (audio only), the message is enticing. So much can be gained from including kids into learning about the tools of Web 2.0.  Martinez works with Generation YES (Youth & Educators Succeeding). She says to think of the opportunities that can arise when you include students as partners in improving education.  Consider adopting models of technology integration that include students.

Web 2.0 is a term that simply implies of the new wave of webpages offering personalized news and information. It also creates new connections with people. To bring this into the classroom, use tools that are student centered and active. Start with your educational goal. Then think of the technology piece. For example, she mentions that older students can research solutions and present options with pros & cons. Using a simple Google search for example. Younger students can collect and test hardware such as old cameras and recorders. This can be presented as a school scavenger hunt. Students can try out applications and report on them. Use cellphones to record interviews or to document a field trip. Use Flickr to store pictures instead of on the school server. Try using Gcast instead of podcasting.

Projects like these can empower students to exceed expectations and make them more forgiving of the inevitable technicle glitches. Students can begin the sharing of Web 2.0 tools with other students and teachers. Teachers won’t only get help in doing their job but kids will get something themselves.

Steps to follow for student/technology integrated projects:

1. Specifiy the educational mission
2. Analysis
3. Decision Making
4. Implementation
5. Testing
6. Classroom Use
7. Reflection

Martinez emphasizes: “By marshalling students as communicators, they can influence parents and the community. They can help with maintenance and support, provide expertise and help enforce school policy from a student’s view. Students can take responsibility for creating and enforcing rules”.

“Kids are digital natives. Adults are digital immigrants.”

Teachers should make sure to be responsible by teaching students about appropriate academic uses of technology. “By giving students insight in how decisions are made using technology in education, we give them excitement of discovery and empower them to think beyond themselves and their own enjoyment of the moment.”

Martinez highlights that she is not advocating replacement of fundamentals like reading and writing, but sees technology as making them accessible to students who wouldn’t have been reached before.

I like the idea Martinez discusses. Although I don’t use a student WAT team at my school, I’ve often heard of teachers who utilize those students who are more tech-savvy to assist those who need help. The same could go for students offering assistance to teachers who are open to learning from the younger generation.

Kevin Jarrett is the primary speaker in this presentation. Comments from educators is included.

I feel like I was more impressed by the application used to present the material, VoiceThread, more than the presentation itself.  It is a new technology that combines a visual medium with the ability to add audio and text comments to a presentation; pretty cool.

While Jarrett’s presentaton on Second Life was quite long and drawn out for my taste, he did give a good description of what is Second Life and plenty of locations for novices and educators to check out.

Teachers can use Second Life, a virtual animated world,  to communicate, reach and involve students. It is free for educators K-20. It is claimed to be simple to use: create an account, upload pictures, voice titles and share with everyone though Jarrett admits the learning curve may seem steep and gives a few sites to help beginners not feel so overwhelmed. Each user can create their own Avatar, a character that can be personalized. Second Life is comprised of two grids:  Main (for adults - credit card needed) and Teen (13-18). First timers need to give themselves a few days to orient to the environment before visiting locations. The Second Life in Education wiki has many how-to docs on Second Life to gain confidence in the environment.

One educational location is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Org. (real time weather map, ride a balloon to experience weather); Also, there is the International Spacefllight Museum (a must see sim). Many corporations such as IBM have made significant contributions.

In the Teen Grid (best for K-12 educators; for teens 13-18) Adults are not allowed without security check
Noted areas: GlobalKids, PacificRim Exchange (virtual exchange between kids in CA and Japan), ISTE, Lighthouse Learning Island (educates use of Second Life).
Colleges such as Princeton, Harvard, MIT are adopting and building learning spaces in Second Life to serve current and future students.

Security is taken seriously, even offering background checks at a small price. Like the Internet, the Main Grid has areas that are not suitable for students These areas may not be appropriate due to possibility of seeing mature subject matter. Monitoring is necessary. The Teen grid is ok.

Vacant islands can be purchased to allow total control over its development. Second Life offers a meeting place for educators around the world where you can reinvent yourself and your interactions.

Dean Shareski makes the point that design and learning are inseparable. Creativity and design should always be incorporated into everyday learning. He shares views from three experts in classroom school and educational design:

- Christian Lang
A high school teacher from Dallas designs schools; believes that the ‘focus should be on learning, not on school.’

- Clarence Fisher
A middle school teacher who feels classrooms should look more like a studio and less institutional. ‘Create a space that allows creativity to thrive.’

- Dr. Richard Schwier
A professor of instructional design emphasizes ‘using technology to produce meaningful and significant work that combines purposes and beauty.’

Shareski then discusses six techniques to apply:

1. Planning - having a clear purpose helps kids to focus

2. Imagery - teach visual literacy (no torturing powerpoints!); use text as a visual or to complete an idea

3. Whitespace and Transitions - whitespace matters, it sheds light on what’s important; transitions should be used to change pace or ideas ( examples: horizontal rules, cute/fade/dissolve)

4. Constraints - helps to focus ideas; make it attainable and concise

5. Innovation - significance in design, personal touch matters (no templates); consider advanced features for creating emphasis

 My Comments:  I have dabled in graphic design which initially drew me to select this session. I found the combination of design being brought into new areas of the classroom; more than simply an art class. Also, Shareski highlights excellant techniques to keep in mind when creating media projects. I plan to share these with teachers, especially Tech. Tools and Vanguard.

Can I include test questions from my textbook into eCART?

Copyright and FairUse Guidelines for Teachers states that 10% of the printed material can be used while it is legally acquired. This means that as long as the textbook is FCPS approved and currently being used in classrooms it is ok to pull test questions. Once the textbook is no longer being used, the test questions must be deleted from eCART. This makes pretty good legal sense. However, it would be just as simple to reword the textbook questions to portray the same SBI but not plagarize. This way there are no constraints on using the questions in eCART.

Title:  Sharing the Holiday Joy

Lesson:   Holiday Research

Basic Description:  Each student will select a holiday that runs during Dec & Jan. Internet research should be done from a list of provided websites. Students then have the option of creating a PowerPoint slideshow or a Publisher pamphlet including outline items.Outline

• Country or countries where the holiday is celebrated
• Traditions that the holiday involves
• Any songs or stories
• Special food
• Special clothing
• Decorations used

Pamphlet Rubric

I love the strategy lesson of making connections in our reading. I just finished a popular book ‘Eat Pray Love’ by Elizabeth Gilbert (highly recommended). Not only can women connect to it through similar experiences in their lives but even through background knowledge can relate. I know friends that relate from their own divorce and spiritual journeys but also enjoy the descriptions of countries mentioned - Italy, India and Indonesia. I dream of visiting Italy one day. The references to it in the book increases my desire and opens more of an unknown place to my mind. The thought of doing the same thing with students through relative literature is great. I feel it is so beneficial for kids to relate to something or someone, even in a story if not in real life. The emotional benefits of not feeling so alone goes along with the educational benefit of learning more of the world at large.

I can see using a blog on 24-7 to have students share sections of a book that spoke to them and why. Multiple blogs can be used so students can relate a snippet of the book to themselves, to another text and to the world. Another way to bring technology into a literary lesson is to have students code text using the schoolpad.  The exact codes R,T-S,T-T and T-W can be written on text passages or colors can represent the codes as text is circled or highlighted.  If students seem shy to do it themselves, the teacher can run the schoolpad as a classroom discussion presents connections.

Loosely defined as ‘education integrated with digital devices or applications’ 

Hopefully including, but not limited to, the following characteristics:
Content Knowledge
Differentiation
Communication
Patience
Experimentation/Fearlessness
Support

Check out this video on Teacher Tube. It opens the mind to the possibilites for Instructional Technology. I showed this at our first faculty meeting this year. However I edited out the section on cell phones and Ipods. We’re not quite ready for that in classrooms yet.
Download Video: Posted by jsdt4 at TeacherTube.com.