Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Project #13



My group, One and Done, consisted of myself, Lindsey Estes, Sally Jeter, and Angela Van Vliet. We have worked on three different projects over the semester and all of them have required us to use technology to collaborate. We mainly used email, group text messaging (we all have iPhones), and Google Docs. Email was mostly used for sending pictures or other documents, group texting was used mostly to set up times that we would meet and to iron out small details, and we used Google Docs to collectively write and correct each others blog posts, etc. These were really the only tools we needed to complete all of our projects together without having to meet in person. It was an amazing learning experience and I feel much more comfortable using technology to communicate with others now versus when I first started this class.

April C4K Summary



Brenna L

In her post, Brenna tells us all about Nebraska, her home state. She thinks it is a great place and provided us with many of the state symbols such as Nebraska’s state insect, fish, gemstone, soft drink, beverage, etc.

I told Brenna that she produced a well-written post that she should be proud of. I told her how interested I was in that and even done a bit of research about Alabama to find out some things about our state symbols. I ended by thanking her and telling her to keep up the good work.

Anneliese

In her post, Anneliese tells us about her Easter break. Anneliese first describes her day on Easter morning and how excited she was for Lindt chocolate. Yum! Then, she tells us that they visited Otway Fly Treetop Walk, which she included a picture of. She says that it was scary, and from the picture, I believe it. Last, she tells us about Scienceworks. She went into a mirror maze first, then went into the Sports area where she won a wheelchair race. She tells us that she wanted to do the running activity, but was sore from the wheelchair race. She ended her trip there by participating in an activity that allows you to see how high you can jump.

Anneliese’s post was stunning. She writes incredibly well to only be in the fourth grade. She has blown some of my classmates out of the water even. I conveyed this message to her (minus the last part) and told her that I couldn’t wait to see what else she posted. I thanked her graciously and told her to keep up the good work.

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Project # 9: Final PLN Report



I have added many more blogs and websites since my first progress report. I have added all blogs that I have been assigned, as well as many others I have stumbled across throughout the semester. I’m almost out of tile spaces on my home mix in Symbaloo, but I can add many more and even start a new one need be.

There are also many WebMix collections that have been previously designed. This is great because they range from general education tools and become more specific to grade and subject. I’ve kept these collections of webpages and tools for future reference (maybe I can share them with co-workers). They also have a lot of nifty web sites that I have been “stealing” as I have time to check them out. A lot of times I will just leave the tiles where they are, but still visit them regularly.



Also, I’m not sure if it counts, but I added an Education interest to my StumbleUpon account, and have ran across some really awesome stuff.

Friday, April 26, 2013

C4T #4

Amanda Ooten’s Science Teaching for the Future

This blog contains many interesting and useful things; however, I was disappointed to see that I was assigned a blog that hasn’t been updated in over year. Amanda Ooten teaches AP and Honors Biology, as well as PLTW’s, at a high school in Ohio.

Comment #1

My first comment was on Mrs. Ooten’s blog Odds & Ends Update. This was a fairly short posted but addressed many topics in a very concise manner. She apologized for having took so long to create a new post and moves into what has been going on with her now flipped classroom, technology at her school, her AP Biology class. She also included a YouTube section that advises against using any images from a textbook. Pearson contacted her about copyright infringement because of the images used in videos that she made. She had to remove the videos from the web, but plans to appeal the decision.

I told Mrs. Ooten that I enjoyed reading her post. I thanked her for sharing the tip about the YouTube, as it’s a mistake I was likely to make. I stated that I was very excited to begin teaching in a technology friendly environment and hoped to hear more about her experiences.

Comment #2

In her post, My Flipped Classroom, part 1, Ooten describes her experiences so far with her newly flipped classroom. My favorite thing that she points put in this post is that her freshman class did much better than her senior class when it came to answering critical thinking questions. She says that her seniors immediately began flipping through their texts looking for exact answers, and attributes this to these students having 3 years of teachers that operated in this “burp-back” manner.

I told her that this article was extremely helpful for new teachers that are interested in flipping their classrooms. I thanked her for sharing the articles on “teaching naked”, which were very insightful, and also mentioned her list of blogs that she follows (mentioned in her very first post) was very helpful to me. I ended by saying that I hoped for an update soon.

Project #15 SmartBoard Instruction part 2

Blog Post # 14



Teacher Knows if You Have Done the E-Reading

This was a very interesting article. It outlines the ways in which CourseSmart is allowing educators to see how students use their textbooks. They can view an “engagement index” to see how and how often the students are using their textbooks to study. This provides them with better information about how well their students are doing. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how well students do on a test; it doesn’t necessarily mean that they have fully grasped the concept, but rather may have just memorized the material long enough to complete the test. The article points out that because many courses are entirely virtual this is a way to have an idea of who is at risk sooner.

As a teacher, I think this would be great. If i do happen to have a student that is falling behind, I will be able to look and decide if it is because they are not studying or just need some extra help. I would also be able to see if it were just a few students struggling or if the whole class was falling behind. I can decide if I need to spend extra with some students or completely rethink the way I am teaching the lesson.

As a student, I am not fond of the idea. While it doesn’t appear to be anything too intrusive, I just don’t feel comfortable with it. I think my biggest concern is what my teacher would do with the information and whether or not it would cause them to make predetermined judgements. There have been many classes I have taken in which I never used my textbook at all, yet still done very well in the course and actually learned a lot. Instead of the textbook, I payed attention to lecture, took notes, and researched various other sources. It is very likely that my engagement index would be low, but only as it pertains to the textbook. I would actually be very engaged just in a different manner. It would be unfair for me if this were to be incorporated as a participation grade.

If I were to speak with the teacher, I would ask:
What do you plan to do with the information you receive? Have you found the data to be accurate and fair? Will you incorporate this as a participation grade?

If I were to speak with the students, I would ask:
Do you benefit from this data? Does your teacher show it to you even when you do not have a low score? Do you often leave your book open or highlight random parts to attempt to increase your score? Or do you actually study the textbook? If you do actually study the textbook, is it because you feel more pressured to do so?

If I were to leave a comment, I would say:
I agree that this has many flaws and discrepancies; however, I do think it will have some use. I don’t agree with the “Big Brother” aspect, but I understand why some teachers would want to use it. Especially if this use is for research purposes, or to develop better lesson plans. Personally, I may want to try to teach so well that all of my students have a low score when it comes to the textbook. I want them to engage with me, classmates, and others through technology, not be stuck alone skimming through a book they will only feel the need to memorize. Also, I think at college levels it is unnecessary to hound students about their grades. At this point in our lives, we should be responsible for our own work and grades. Students should be graded on they’re knowledge of the material, not how often and how serious they took the textbook.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Progress Report On Final Project

Our final project is mostly fill-in-the-blank at this point. One & Done has been an amazing group to work with over the semester. We were all very lucky to be grouped with like-minded, supportive members. We have stayed in close contact throughout the process of all of our projects over the semester and the final project is no different. We are really excited to use iBook for the first time. We mostly communicate through group text messages since we all have iPhones, but we often use Google Docs, and some emailing as well. We are off to a great start, ahead of schedule. I’m sure we will finish with plenty of time and a great project.


Blog Post #13

Mr. Crosby's Back To The Future

Mr. Crosby is an amazing teacher. You can tell that his concerns are for his students, not the grades the are making. Crosby has taught the same class for three years. He points out that when these children first came to him, many of them could not answer questions as simple as what city, state, and country they live in. He didn’t give up on them or conjure predetermined judgements. Instead, Mr. Crosby took them on a journey full of knowledge; he taught them in a practical manner that they understood and was genuinely interested in.

It was so nice to hear that Mr. Crosby refused to not teach a student that wasn’t able to physically come to class. His student Celeste had leukemia and because of her immune system was unable to attend. He didn’t let this stop him though; he started using technology to bring Celeste to class over the computer. She was able to be there to learn and interact with her teacher and classmates without compromising her health. This was amazing to see, and I can only applaud him for his efforts as a teacher.

I love the part of the video where he states that education shouldn’t be treated as a race. He’s right. Students should be encouraged to take their time and learn as much as they can. Many problems that our children face these days are because of rushing. They are too quick to grow up (physically), and too quick to give up on the things they don’t accomplish right away. A good grade in a class, or a degree from college or high school, is not nearly as important as the knowledge that those symbols are supposed to represent.





Paul Anderson's Blended Learning Cycle

In his video, Blended Learning Cycle, Paul Anderson explains how he focused his class on the students to create a better learning experience. He describes his method of “QUIVERS”, which is a very interesting and useful concept. These are the steps that Mr. Anderson takes:

QUESTION - He starts each unit with a question that “hooks” his students to get them interested.

INVESTIGATION - This is where they begin to explore and learn about the question. Anderson encourages them to come up with questions of their own.

VIDEO - Anderson uses video to give students information to begin researching.

ELABORATION - Students actively research the material and learn through this step.

REVIEW - Anderson works with small groups to discuss the material with his students in order to make sure the are grasping the concepts.

SUMMARY QUIZ - Students take a short quiz on the things covered in each section, which is followed by longer unit exams.

This is a great way to approach teaching. Anderson explains that this method is easily utilized in a science classroom, and I think it would work well in almost any subject. Everything can be slightly subverted to meet needs or improve. My area of education will be in English; this may be a bit harder to introduce, but I think after finding a way to present a question that will capture my student’s attention, it will work well. My favorite thing about flipped classrooms is that it doesn’t have near as much boring lecture time. I plan to implement this idea, along with many others, into my classroom.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Blog Post #12



My assignment idea needed to be specific for Secondary English/Language Arts. I’m sure I have said many times now that I love group activities. This was a major deciding factor for me, but I also love the creative aspect of writing. My decision for this assignment was based off an activity that an English teacher had our class do in middle school. Tandem Stories. So. Much. Fun. I have put a technological spin on the idea to create this assignment, and enlisted a friend of mine to help me complete it. So, here’s the assignment (given that pairs have already been chosen, and I have already addressed how to use Google Docs):

You and your partner will collaborate to write a tandem story. You will use a Google Doc to complete this simple process. Choose amongst yourselves who will start; this person will begin by writing one paragraph. Then, the next person will continue the story with another paragraph and so on until you have reached a conclusion. Be sure to share your Google Doc with me as well.

You have no assigned topics and have the freedom to take the story anywhere you see fit. Use your creativity and have fun. Be sure to read through the story as you continue taking turns with paragraphs. The story needs to make sense! Beware of contradictions. You will have to work together if you want something good to come of it. Please limit any vulgar language and do not direct it at each other.

With that being said and done, here is what my friend Andre and I came up with when we completed the assignment:

(Me)

A weary man wanders in the pouring rain. He is tall, broad,  and wears an expensive gray suit now drenched from tonight’s sudden storm. His footsteps splash against the cold ground as he swaggers down the center yellow line of the seemingly endless street. Although tall glass-encased buildings filled the city and reflected the brilliance of the solar-powered streetlights, the city is lifeless. No cars. No people occupying the sprawling downtown area. There are only two living beings here; this man and the rain. His eyes are wide with determination despite the diabolical downpour. A flash of lightening and a clash of thunder echo through the overwhelming structures, but he does not flinch. He is a man on a mission.

(Andre)

“Where are you going, Darius?”

“We’ve been over this already. I’m going to the top of the Moontower, now could you please stop talking?”

Darius opened the map on his Pepboy3000 wrist computer. His destination was three miles away and he didn’t have a lot of time.

“You’re not going to make it, Darius.”

“Shut up, Rain. You’re not helping. I really should have worn better shoes.”

(Me)

It had been 10 years since his discharge from the military. His career choice wasn’t a surprise to anyone that knew him. Darius Barrow was a strong, handsome man ripened to the age of 35. His years spent in the military provided him with all the experience and recommendation he needed to pursue a career in private security. A man with his merits and knowledge was handsomely paid in such an industry. Pscilla Corp, a globally dominating company, recruited him specifically and they paid triple for his services.

Over the last 8 years, he has undertaken a variety of jobs assigned to him. Each progressed in difficulty and always required a higher security clearance. This mission, however, would be the one that tested all of his skills. This was the first time that details were not explicitly laid out for him. He had no idea what to expect when he reached his destination. Why were the leaders of Pscilla suddenly being so secretive with him? As hard as he tried to fight it, Darius couldn’t shake the ominous feeling that had settled into the pit of his stomach.

(Andre)

The rain continued to pour down as the Moontower came into view. Lightning struck and Darius could nearly see every detail on the massive tower. The Moontower was by far the tallest and most extravagant building in the world. It was a spire shaped building that towered over the Earth below and seemed to nearly reach the Moon. Normally the building would illuminate the night sky, but tonight was unlike other nights.

“You had better hurry, Darius.”

“Be quiet! I’m trying to think!”

“I’m sure all your questions will be answered when you learn the details of your mission.”

“Whatever.”

(Me)

The tower loomed over him intensifying the eerie sensation he had felt earlier. His checkpoint was a room located at the very top of the tower. He was told further instruction would be found there. Would this finally explain why everyone was evacuated from the metropolis?

Darius scanned the building looking for an optimal point of entry. After running up a short, but extravagant set of steps, he was greeted by a magnificently overly-sized glass door, tempered so that you can see out of it, but not into the building. “The MoonTower” was simply, yet elegantly carved into the building just above the entrance. Darius took a breath, anxious, but ready to be relieved of the unforgiving weather, and walked towards the automatic doors.

(Andre)

The automatic glass door swung open as he approached the building and a grand lobby could be seen inside. Marble tiles and columns stretched across the floor and to the ceiling where magnificent crystal chandeliers hung and would normally be radiating light throughout the room. Darius stepped inside and was finally free of the rain. He cracked a smile and shook off the cold. Continuing on, he could see an attendant at a desk near the center of the lobby. He was a chubby, balding, sad mistake of a man.

“Hello there! You must be Mr. Barrow. We’ve been expecting you. Make your way to the elevator on the right. There’s no time to waste.”

Once inside the elevator, Darius input data concerning the building into his Pepboy. The information could potentially be of value during his mission. He looked at the display on the elevator console and then sat on the floor.

“Its times like these, when you’re on an elevator ride to the moon, when you really appreciate the video games on a Pepboy.”

(Me)

The seemingly normal, professional tone of the attendant did little to ease Darius. He continued to absent-mindedly toy with his Pepboy as the elevator rose higher and higher up the tower. The games did little to distract him from the task at hand, but this had long since been a calming technique. Many of the games he played, provided him with a way to practice strategic actions that he could use later during missions with a better understanding of how his targets may react. He thoroughly appreciated the many benefits of technology; it had saved his life on more than one occasion.

The elevator began to chime signaling that his floor was approaching. He stood preparing himself to finally be briefed.

The elevator suddenly instructed, “You have now arrived at floor 323, Research and Experimentation. Waiting for confirmation to open doors.”

Darius braced himself as the hydraulic doors hissed and then slid open.

(Andre)

A very well dressed man greeted Darius as he left the elevator, “Hello, Mr. Barrow. Its a pleasure to finally receive you. I’m sure you’re eager to learn the details of your assignment.”

“I am. Lets get right down to it, Mr?”

“You may address me as Commissioner.”

The Commissioner led Darius through a series of laboratories where various experiments were being conducted. Everyone worked diligently and seemed to be either unaffected or unaware of the emptiness of the city surrounding them.

“How is it that this building has power right now, Commissioner?”

He smiled and responded, “Well, we have an arc reactor in the base level of the facility.”

“You guy’s really do think of everything.”

“Yes, I suppose we do.”

After some time the two men finally arrive at a very ornate set of wooden double doors with an inscription reading “THE OVERSEER”. The Commissioner opened one side and ushered Darius inside. The room was dimly lit and a man could be seen standing behind a desk with his back facing his new guests.

(Me)

The Commissioner instructed Darius to wait just by the doors as he crossed the lavish office. Darius eyed the men as he took in his surroundings and prepared a mental escape route, just in case; he was a cautious man. What did they want with him? And how was Pscilla Corp, his main employer, involved with them? He knew that Pscilla Corp invested in a wide and stunning array of industries all over the world. Pscilla Corp owned practically everything, including the government. From the quick and urgent whispers, he could tell this was a serious matter.

“Come join us Mr. Barrow,” requested the Overseer as he took his seat, gesturing for Darius to take one of the overstuffed chairs in front of his mahogany desk. Darius thanked him as he sat, glad to finally rest his aching legs and feet.

The Overseer was an aging man, but fit and healthy with a warm smile. His voice was deep and smooth considerably reducing Darius’ anxiousness.

“If you don’t mind,” continued the Overseer, “I would like to skip small talk and tell you why you have been sent to me. We are both aware that something very serious is happening. I am sure you will have other questions, but all I can tell you is that I have been assigned to you. I do not know what lies in the future of your mission after you leave here.”

Darius took a breath disappointed that he was no closer to finding out what his actual mission was. “Ok,” he said, “I understand. Why have I been sent to you then?”

The Commissioner and the Overseer exchanged glances, and with a very serious and low tone, the Overseer explained, “To put it simply Mr. Barrow, you are here for Battle Augmentation.”

(Andre)

“Excuse me sir, what do you mean by Battle Augmentation?”

“Battle Augmentation, Mr. Barrow, is what we call the product of our super-soldier program. It is a series of body modifications that will increase your mental and physical abilities exponentially. To be blunt, the procedure is very dangerous and the only reason you were considered for the trial is because of your outstanding military record.”

“I don’t suppose I have much of a say in this.”

“No you don’t. This procedure is critical for the success of your mission. I do apologize though because it will be extremely painful. Now, if you don’t mind, we need to proceed.”

Darius hung his head and let out a sigh. The three men then proceeded to a nearby laboratory where Darius would be prepared for surgery. A group of doctors took the liberty of removing his clothing and restrained him for the procedure.

One of the doctors spoke to Darius, “Unfortunately, we will not be able to administer any anesthetics during the procedure. You see, the side effects of doing so would certainly lead to your death. On the other hand, you could possibly live through the operation.” The doctor smiled and got back to his work.

A few minutes passed by and nothing unusual had happened. Suddenly, a group of men walked in the room followed by a series of very large robotic medical instruments. They all advanced toward Darius and immediately began the procedure. Darius’ flesh was torn into and body parts were replaced with synthetic augmentations. His screams echoed through the halls of the 323rd floor. Hours passed by before the operation was complete.

(Me)

It wasn’t long before the effects of the procedure made themselves clear to Darius. He regained consciousness and began to scan his surroundings. He had been moved to a cozy recovery room. As he glanced around the warm beige walls and took in the sparse, but comfortable furniture, he realized even his eyesight was sharper than before. His mind was thinking much more quickly, and he felt healthier than he had in his 20s. Darius swung his legs off the bed and let his feet meet the cold, tiled floor. He sighed, stretched, and thought to himself, “What now? Where is everyone?”

Almost immediately, as if in reply to his thoughts, he heard, “Can you hear me now Darius?”

The sultry tone of the voice startled and intrigued him as he looked around and realized that it was only within his mind that he had heard it.

Darius replied in his thoughts, “What? Yes. What’s happening? Who are you?”

“I am Ariana, your Navigator. Part of the procedure was designed to augment certain brain structures that allow a soldier to connect with his Navigator telepathically.”

“Will you always be inside my head?”

“Until one of us is no longer alive.”

Darius tried to relax as he thought about what could make something like this necessary. Had he finally dug a hole that he couldn’t get out of? And how was this sensuous sounding woman supposed to help him with anything?

“I can always hear your thoughts Darius.” communicated Ariana, “You need me to complete this mission or you will die trying.”

Her certainty was a tangible thing. Despite his grim mood, she reached him with her quiet words.

***To Be Continued?

Sadly, we didn’t have time to continue the story further as it pertains to this post. We may have gotten a little too into the assignment, and I can only hope the same would happen with my students. This assignment teaches a variety of essential skills, and puts a fun and freer spin on what could have been a boring writing assignment.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

C4T #3



For C4T #3 I was assigned Mr. Will Richardson’s blog Read. Write. Connect. Learn. Will Richardson taught public school for 22 years, founded Powerful Learning Practice, and has had three books published as of August 2011.

Comment #1

My first comment was on Mr. Richardson’s blog post Announcing: Raising Modern Learners.

In this post, he announces that he and Bruce Dixon have launched a new undertaking called Raising Modern Learners. Richardson calls this a growing effort that he hopes will help teachers, administrators, and board members by sparking initiative about changes in the education system. They will post a blog dealing with one theme each week and try to implement (Google) Hangouts and podcasts, among other things, for parents.

I told Mr. Richardson that I thought this was an amazing endeavor. I told him that I believe parents play a more crucial role than most tend to realize. I asked him how far he anticipated this effort to reach, and told him that I hoped it would spread far and wide.

Comment #2

I read Mr. Richardson’s post Playing Chopsticks With Technology for my second comment.

In this post, Richardson posts a Q&A response from Alan Kay. Alan Kay is president of the Viewpoints Research Institute and also an Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at the University of Califonia, Los Angeles. His post points out the problems we face when trying to utilize technology into education. It is definitely a good read. I love that the post points out that “the music is not in the piano”. Regardless of what tools we use, we need to let students learn, imagine, and create.

I agreed with Mr. Richardson on his view of this, and shared my thoughts and goals as a future educator. I stated that because of standardized testing and fact memorization methods, we lose the ability/opportunity to allow freedom for actual learning.

March C4K Summary



C4K #5

Hudson

Hudson’s blog post was a story he wrote. The story was titled Charlie and the Goblin. Hudson played off of many stories like the Three Billy Goats Gruff and Little Red Riding Hood, among others. His fairy tale was amazingly well written, especially considering that he is only in the 2nd grade!

I told Hudson that he had done an outstanding job. I asked if he planned to write anymore stories, because I would love to read them. I told him to keep up the good work and I looked forward to seeing what he posted next.

C4K #6

Jenna

Jenna wrote a “character to self” summary for her blog post. In her post, she describes the book Hideout by Gordon Korman and how she is like the main character, Griffin.

I told Jenna that she had done a really good job on her post and that I had really liked that book also. I told her to keep up the good work and that I was excited to see what else she posted over the semester.

C4K #7

Harper

Harper’s blog post was about her mom. Harper says that her mom is so sweet and the best ever because she gives Harper kisses and tucks her in. They are about to move out of Grandma’s house and Harper will miss her vey much.

I told Harper hello, my name, and where I went to school. I told her that mom did sound very awesome and asked if she was excited about moving even though she would miss her grandmother. I told her that her blog was well-written and I was very impressed.

C4K #8

Jade

Jade’s blog post briefly described a story told to them by a Holocaust survivor. She also included the definition of holocaust in her post.

I told Jade having the opportunity to experience that talk was incredible. It is a very different hearing someone describe their story related to historical events versus only reading about it in a book.

Blog Post #11



Ms. Cassidy pointed out some very good tips in her video Little Kids.. Big Potential and also in her Skype Interview with Dr. Strange. She offers a stunning array of techniques, tips, and ideas.

I love that her student pointed out that he liked to blog because other people will see and comment on their posts. This really is a great way to showcase students’ work and will give them a sense of accomplishment and pride in their work. Having class web pages and blogs is a great way to get family involved. Many of us have family that live distantly. This is an incredibly convenient way for parents, family, and friends to see what the students’ are doing and how they are progressing over the year.

The students also point out how they use Wiki. I really like this and think it would help in an English class. Wiki would be a great way to have students research and understand literary works. Allowing students to create a Wiki and connect with others around the world may motivate them to be more involved in discussing and learning about elements of literature.

I think the biggest obstacle is funding. We have to have money to buy computers and we have to make sure that we have enough of them. I am big on group instruction, and that is how I plan to overcome funding issues, given that I have funding for at least a few computers. My students can take turns in groups either working on their blogs or working directly with me. This way every student will have access to computers and also have quality lesson time with me in a smaller group so that I can provide more individual instruction.

I would hope that through blogging and collaboration, my students will become interested and enlightened. I want them to imagine, create, innovate and learn. The benefits of blogging are outstanding if it is utilized correctly. My students should improve in many areas: written (and verbal) communication, organization, planning, collaboration, problem solving, etc.