This video project tells the story of our puppy, Violet, and the lessons my husband and I are learning from her. We are compared as learners with different understandings, as my husband grew up with larger dogs whereas my family always had small dogs. Enjoy!
Showing posts with label MAET. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MAET. Show all posts
3.14.2011
Walking the Talk: My Professional Learning Plan
What were some of the online resources that you found that were really helpful? If so what were they and how were they helpful?
-PREZI: I was just thinking that PowerPoint presentations, while useful, have become increasingly "outdated" and fairly stagnant when compared to many of the apps students use on their phones or computers. Prezi increases interest with panning, zooming, and more interesting transitions while also allowing everything to be viewed on one large screen so that viewers can quickly see the connections.
-JING: I had never heard of this before, so I became curious quickly when many of our tasks said "you can Jing it". What a WONDERFUL tool! Not only did I use it for my opening introduction, but I also relied on Jing when I made my Implementation report for Wicked, AND used it to help create our Group Leadership project! I would have truly LOVED to use it in conjunction with my Prezi for the final Wicked presentation, but unfortunately my complete lack of a voice (I can squeak, but that's about it) made that less plausible. When my voice recovers, I may pull my Wicked Prezi back out, as well as my scripted presentation, and Jing it. So far I've only used Jing with PowerPoint, so I'm really looking forward to utilizing it with Prezi.
-WIX: I've been relying on Weebly since I first learned about it, but I've never liked it whole-heartedly. I prefer Google sites, which is far less buggy and easy to "pop into" since I already have a google account and can get there from Gmail. Wix is like a whole new WORLD! Not only does it have a very logical interface (very user friendly, if you click on something, it let's you edit it, etc.), but it also has a wealth of clip art, photos, sound clips, etc. that you can utilize. AND the various templates are OUTSTANDING! They look very professional and include all the components needed for a variety of web-based businesses, etc. Yet, anyone can choose a template and then modify it to suit his/her own needs. I began a site for my husband, who is a chef, and who would like to do some consulting work (on menus, food costing, large event planning, etc.). It's not finished yet, but so far it is much more refined that the Google site page I'd started for him a while back! :) www.wix.com/chefljdavis/chefdavis
Did you find any other online communities that could provide resourceful information? If so what were they and how were they helpful?
YES. I joined Classroom 2.0 and I now receive e-newsletters daily with various tech topics, upcoming events of interest, etc. However, I have to admit that the most useful online community I have learned recently is Twitter. I now follow various professors/administrators from our MAET program, as well as WIRED magazine, Karl Gude (who gave the Data Visualization presentation used in this course), and some TEDx tweets. Speaking of TEDx, I recently was discussing it with Abbie and we both were saying just how stimulating the TEDx talks usually are. I hadn't heard of TEDx until I started taking MAET courses and now I am incredibly eager to attend one of these sessions!! I posted a TEDx link in a different discussion forum (Data Visualization, I think?). The talk was by an Egyptian man who works for Google and was involved in the recent uprising there. He shared how Web 2.0 technologies enabled the citizenry to realize that they weren't alone in their frustrations and then also allowed them to freely communicate and tweak their protest plans on a massive scale. Facebook, Skype, e-mail, Twitter... all of these tools (and others) truly EMPOWERED the people. If only our District could realize just how powerful (and empowering) it can be to put these technologies into students' hands and then to teach them safe & proper use. If only, if only... Perhaps Abbie & I will find an effective way to change the board's mind on this. We will see!
What strategies were helpful for trying to learn a new technology?
-Viewing Online Tutorials: These work well for me because I can watch and re-watch as needed, pause, rewind, etc.
-Looking at Examples: Seeing the way something works (and how someone else has done it) always helps give me ideas and sometimes allows me to realize that a tool has far more options/potential than I ever knew
-Reading a Guide Document: Following step-by-step procedures come in handy, as well. Again, I can go back over things or stop when needed.
-"Blind" Tinkering: When I learn a new tech device, I usually like to play around with it for a little while before I resort to reading the rule book or watching the tutorial. While this is a fun way to just "dive in", it can result in missing out on certain features, etc. It's best for me to do a mix of these things to learn a new technology
How does working with others (versus working alone) support you in your own learning?
Working with others supports my learning immensely! I tend to be very social, so I like to have discussions about topics to reason through things with classmates. Having Abbie in this course with me was WONDERFUL. We would discuss course content at lunch time or meet up to talk during her prep or mine, etc. Being able to share our takes on things and hear someone else's understandings can enhance learning substantially.
How will you use this experience to support your own lifelong learning of technology?
-My experience in CEP 812 has already had a profound impact on me. This has been one of the most difficult semesters of my life (both due to course content and my own various issues), but I feel as though I have come out of this class with an abundance of "arrows" in my educational technology "quiver". One HUGE impactful moment came in watching the Data Visualization presentation (TEDx: Karl Gude). What he said resonated with me greatly, as I am someone who tends to be wordy with everything: e-mails, worksheets, discussion posts... What he said about saying a lot more with a lot less, being "text light", etc. has inspired me to strive for that. My Personal Learning Plan ("More Walk, Less Talk") is an attempt to adhere to this "text lightness" and seek to say more with less words. While it was certainly a challenge to keep my words to a minimum, the end result is much more visually stimulating and less daunting to take in. I hope to continue with this "more walk, less talk" way of presenting things and am already seeking out better ways to use visualization in my classroom (with sites such as Mind42 and Bubbl.us, for example). Another way I will continue to learn is through my Twitter feed. By following more tech specialists, theorists, etc., I am already getting more informative and educational tweets than I was when I was simply following Ashton Kutcher and J-Lo. :) I want to keep finding more intellectuals to follow on Twitter so that I can quickly "feed my brain" just by clicking on my twitter app.
-Our experience with our Wicked Problem Project was a major learning experience. By getting caught up in red tape, we were able to realize just how debilitating district policies and restrictions can be--for teachers and students alike! To continue being a role model for learning and pursuing higher knowledge of tech, I (along with Abbie) want to keep churning out new techy things that pique the interest of students and staff alike (e.g. my Weebly page with Google Calendar embedded).
I also want to assist other staff members (especially technophobes) with becoming more comfortable with educational technology so that they might better serve the "digital natives" that enter their door every day.
Thank you for reading,
w.
12.09.2009
CEP 811: My Reflections
When I started this semester my objectives included: developing my ability to reach out to technophobic educators, better understanding how to implement technology innovations in my content area to optimize student learning, and becoming more tech savvy overall. I can honestly say that my work in this course has helped me to grow in all three of those areas, and I’m looking forward to continued growth as I journey through the rest of the MAET program.
In regards to encouraging technophobic colleagues, although I am not able to share my tech enthusiasm immediately, I have gained some tools and insights that will better prepare me to build those bridges in the future. Learning about the characteristics of adult learners will surely assist me when providing workshops or individual mentoring to my colleagues. Also, in many of the articles we read, there was information about teachers and technology and how best to support new technology users. I also feel that the wide range of software/Web 2.0 uses I have been familiarized with has given me a better assortment of tools to recommend and share with other educators. I am looking forward to my return to the classroom, when I can share this wealth of knowledge and hopefully encourage more teachers to become fully “connected” to the digital age.
Through the various projects, reflections, and articles, I have definitely increased my awareness of how best to implement technology in my own classroom and how to optimize student learning in general. Reading about, seeing samples, and creating my own tech projects or tools have been valuable ways for me to better understand how technology can, and should, be used for learning. This mix of exposure allowed me to see how things can be done well, read about how they were done, and then generate my own samples for use in my content area.
Becoming more tech savvy overall is inevitable when doing this coursework. The only way I would not have gained “savvy” was if I already knew everything, which of course I did not. Prior to this class, I had never really used PowerPoint (!) and wasn’t exactly sure what “Web 2.0” meant. I can now say that not only is PowerPoint far more interesting than I realized, but that Web 2.0 is one of my closest friends (and has been all along without me knowing it!). In addition to learning different programs, I have become more knowledgeable about technology policies and best practices, and have many more ideas in my “teacher tool belt” for how to incorporate technology into my content area, and that of others.
Integrating the Internet helped me to think about how much it can contribute, as well as how problematic it can become if something does not work correctly. This was not a new revelation for me, as I’ve integrated the Internet into lessons fairly often and have seen the issues that arise when the school Internet crashes or when a website doesn’t function properly. I have been encouraged to think more about how certain technologies might hinder learning more than help it or require extensive appropriate use policies, yet I still feel that most of the time the benefits are worth the hassle of planning and outweigh the drawbacks.
At this point, my goals remain essentially the same. I want to continue to find ways to help technophobes overcome their fears of technology in the classroom, but I would like to get started on actually embarking on that mission! My previous district has a new “technology committee” to help them decide which tools to incorporate into the new high school. Although I do not believe I can serve on this committee, I am going to see if I might be able to present them with some ideas or help them come up with some useful examples to share when they’re in front of the school board seeking support for their initiatives.
I will continue to seek further knowledge of technology integration in education and how best to implement it in my own classroom and those of others. This is a goal I feel I can never simply “attain”, but in which I can always achieve further growth. What I mean is that there will always be new ways to integrate technology and new studies regarding how to successfully implement a tool based on content, demographics, etc. While I may find what I believe are ideals in this area, I know that I will forever be able to build on this knowledge and modify implementation for increasing levels of student success. The same goes for becoming more technologically savvy. I will never know every possible program, technology, hardware, software, etc. As soon as I learn one, there are multiple others that pop up on the educational radar. Therefore, I must always continue to learn more about technology and its integration. Whether I’m learning a program in greater depth and with new applications, or finding out about a brand new technology, my “savvy” will always have room to grow.
One new goal I would like to achieve is a better understanding of how districts manage the transition into widespread technology-use. For example, when a district is first introducing interactive whiteboards, what does that look like at the district, school, and classroom level? I have seen these kinds of initiatives at the classroom level, and wonder how it can be done with the greatest success rather than having them used as chalkboards that require a stylus. I believe I will reach this goal either through my future MAET classes or by my own independent investigation, or both.
I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of this class and am grateful for the foundation of knowledge it has helped me build. I know I will be more successful in my coursework due to this class, and most importantly... a better TEACHER when I get back in the classroom.
In regards to encouraging technophobic colleagues, although I am not able to share my tech enthusiasm immediately, I have gained some tools and insights that will better prepare me to build those bridges in the future. Learning about the characteristics of adult learners will surely assist me when providing workshops or individual mentoring to my colleagues. Also, in many of the articles we read, there was information about teachers and technology and how best to support new technology users. I also feel that the wide range of software/Web 2.0 uses I have been familiarized with has given me a better assortment of tools to recommend and share with other educators. I am looking forward to my return to the classroom, when I can share this wealth of knowledge and hopefully encourage more teachers to become fully “connected” to the digital age.
Through the various projects, reflections, and articles, I have definitely increased my awareness of how best to implement technology in my own classroom and how to optimize student learning in general. Reading about, seeing samples, and creating my own tech projects or tools have been valuable ways for me to better understand how technology can, and should, be used for learning. This mix of exposure allowed me to see how things can be done well, read about how they were done, and then generate my own samples for use in my content area.
Becoming more tech savvy overall is inevitable when doing this coursework. The only way I would not have gained “savvy” was if I already knew everything, which of course I did not. Prior to this class, I had never really used PowerPoint (!) and wasn’t exactly sure what “Web 2.0” meant. I can now say that not only is PowerPoint far more interesting than I realized, but that Web 2.0 is one of my closest friends (and has been all along without me knowing it!). In addition to learning different programs, I have become more knowledgeable about technology policies and best practices, and have many more ideas in my “teacher tool belt” for how to incorporate technology into my content area, and that of others.
Integrating the Internet helped me to think about how much it can contribute, as well as how problematic it can become if something does not work correctly. This was not a new revelation for me, as I’ve integrated the Internet into lessons fairly often and have seen the issues that arise when the school Internet crashes or when a website doesn’t function properly. I have been encouraged to think more about how certain technologies might hinder learning more than help it or require extensive appropriate use policies, yet I still feel that most of the time the benefits are worth the hassle of planning and outweigh the drawbacks.
At this point, my goals remain essentially the same. I want to continue to find ways to help technophobes overcome their fears of technology in the classroom, but I would like to get started on actually embarking on that mission! My previous district has a new “technology committee” to help them decide which tools to incorporate into the new high school. Although I do not believe I can serve on this committee, I am going to see if I might be able to present them with some ideas or help them come up with some useful examples to share when they’re in front of the school board seeking support for their initiatives.
I will continue to seek further knowledge of technology integration in education and how best to implement it in my own classroom and those of others. This is a goal I feel I can never simply “attain”, but in which I can always achieve further growth. What I mean is that there will always be new ways to integrate technology and new studies regarding how to successfully implement a tool based on content, demographics, etc. While I may find what I believe are ideals in this area, I know that I will forever be able to build on this knowledge and modify implementation for increasing levels of student success. The same goes for becoming more technologically savvy. I will never know every possible program, technology, hardware, software, etc. As soon as I learn one, there are multiple others that pop up on the educational radar. Therefore, I must always continue to learn more about technology and its integration. Whether I’m learning a program in greater depth and with new applications, or finding out about a brand new technology, my “savvy” will always have room to grow.
One new goal I would like to achieve is a better understanding of how districts manage the transition into widespread technology-use. For example, when a district is first introducing interactive whiteboards, what does that look like at the district, school, and classroom level? I have seen these kinds of initiatives at the classroom level, and wonder how it can be done with the greatest success rather than having them used as chalkboards that require a stylus. I believe I will reach this goal either through my future MAET classes or by my own independent investigation, or both.
I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of this class and am grateful for the foundation of knowledge it has helped me build. I know I will be more successful in my coursework due to this class, and most importantly... a better TEACHER when I get back in the classroom.
10.31.2009
Computer-Based Instructional Objects
In having students work independently with computer-based instructional objects (such as StAIR projects and WebQuests) teachers must consider many variables. For one, there may be a limited number of computers available for use in the school, meaning that some students may have to partner up or the teacher may have to plan far in advance to have access to a computer lab. Also, there is always the chance that the school servers could go down, keeping students from accessing the information at all. There is always a need for flexibility and open-mindedness when these kinds of issues arise. There may be a need to have a "plan B" ready, as well, to provide instruction until the resources are available.
In considering the students directly, there may be accessibility issues that need to be addressed, such as a hearing-impaired student's inability to listen to an audio portion. The teacher must make sure to include workable options (like text versions) to meet student needs. Also, some students will be more comfortable with the technology than others. This can be helped through introductory tutorials, partnering with a more tech-savvy classmate, or through added guidance built-in to the instructional object itself.
In general, teachers must carefully pre-plan the incorporation of these activities and expect that some issues may arise. A readiness to deal with whatever pops up as well as a solid plan with student needs in mind will help prepare teachers for success in utilizing computer-based instructional objects with their students.
In considering the students directly, there may be accessibility issues that need to be addressed, such as a hearing-impaired student's inability to listen to an audio portion. The teacher must make sure to include workable options (like text versions) to meet student needs. Also, some students will be more comfortable with the technology than others. This can be helped through introductory tutorials, partnering with a more tech-savvy classmate, or through added guidance built-in to the instructional object itself.
In general, teachers must carefully pre-plan the incorporation of these activities and expect that some issues may arise. A readiness to deal with whatever pops up as well as a solid plan with student needs in mind will help prepare teachers for success in utilizing computer-based instructional objects with their students.
Exemplary WebQuest
http://www.personal.psu.edu/jxz8/Student_Webquests/Bradley_Knudsen/WEBQUEST.HTML
I chose this WebQuest because the introduction catches your attention (you found Antonio Banderas' wallet!) and presents the traditional "trip planning" idea in a fun and thorough way. Also, I like that the team member roles are very clear, with extra details & hints for each person, and the rubrics for each part of the evaluation are linked to their descriptions and provide clear requirements to achieve each possible score.
Another WebQuest of Note
http://www.allenschool.org/spanishfoodwebquest.htm
This website is for elementary students and explores Spanish food, having individual students create their own menus. I like that it has students explore traditional SPANISH foods, as many people think that Spanish food is the same as "Mexican" food--yet they are vastly different! Designwise, I like that the WebQuest is very basic and seems to be easy for elementary-level students to work with and understand. I also think this WebQuest could easily be modifed for use with middle or high school students in their first year of Spanish as a quicker, short term WebQuest.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/jxz8/Student_Webquests/Bradley_Knudsen/WEBQUEST.HTML
I chose this WebQuest because the introduction catches your attention (you found Antonio Banderas' wallet!) and presents the traditional "trip planning" idea in a fun and thorough way. Also, I like that the team member roles are very clear, with extra details & hints for each person, and the rubrics for each part of the evaluation are linked to their descriptions and provide clear requirements to achieve each possible score.
Another WebQuest of Note
http://www.allenschool.org/spanishfoodwebquest.htm
This website is for elementary students and explores Spanish food, having individual students create their own menus. I like that it has students explore traditional SPANISH foods, as many people think that Spanish food is the same as "Mexican" food--yet they are vastly different! Designwise, I like that the WebQuest is very basic and seems to be easy for elementary-level students to work with and understand. I also think this WebQuest could easily be modifed for use with middle or high school students in their first year of Spanish as a quicker, short term WebQuest.
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