Wiki Wiki Wiki…not so tricky

So, Wikis are pretty darn cool. I had never used one before, but it was very easy to use and I think I have some pretty neat ideas for using one. I like that multiple people can write to each other…it’s a simple way to share information. I think using a Wiki would be a great way for kids to discuss materials they read independently or in class. For instance, some times all of my kids read one class novel and then other times I have several novels being read at one time in my class between 3-4 groups of students. Often times, it is difficult for me to get around to each group and keep up with how much they have read and what they’re talking about. Having each group keep up with their discussion on a Wiki would allow me to see what each group is talking about and I could respond to each group as well.

I also think that a Wiki would be a great way for parents to sign up for Conference times, volunteer slots, or sign up for what each student would bring when we do things like our Poetry Coffee House. Using Wikis is something I’d like to give more attention to in the future.

Here is the link for my Wiki page http://wikis.rcoe.appstate.edu/RE5532/index.php/Brooke_Lee

some nifty peas in a PODcast

I first heard of using Podcasts in an educational settingin Dr. Beth Frye’s Teaching the Language Arts course. She showed us how a teacher in Watauga Co. used podcasts to capture very young 1st grade children reading aloud poems they had written. It was amazing to hear these young kids (some of who couldn’t even read very well yet) confidently read aloud a poem they had each composed! Not to mention, what a cool momento for the child to take home and a parent to keep for years to come…can’t you just imagine those parents playing that sweet poem at the kid’s college graduation!

Today I read an article from thejournal.com about a middle school teacher in Wisconsin who invited her students to navigate podcasts and use podcasts to show what they had learned about some researched topics in various subject areas. This article called attention to this teacher and applauded her for using the C’s of teaching: creativity, curiosity, and confidence. Moreover, the article suggested that podcasting is motivating in that it is new and not a written form, thus when properly motivated, students take responsibility for their learning. I can see how this would certainly be true, and I think podcasting is a great way for students to show what has been learned.

In our middle/high school group, we discussed several ways we thought we could use podcasts in our classrooms. One idea I really liked was for us to record a class discussion and then have students go home and find an outsider to interview and get that person’s opinion about what we had discussed in class that day. The interview could then be brought back into class and give students something else to think about and discuss. Another idea I really like is for students to use podcasting as a way to record poetry reading. Each year, my students have trouble reading a poem with the correct rhythmn and expression. A podcasts provides a safe space for kids to practice just the reading without worrying about being in front of their peers and what they look like.

One final(for this blog, not EVER) idea I have for the use of podcasts is to record either just my voice or a video (vodcast) of “How to Open Your Locker” for my middle school students. Every year, new 6th graders have so much trouble figuring out how to open their lockers…I don’t know if it’s the multi-step directions, the tick marks, or the whole Left/Right thing that gives them trouble. Whatever it is, I think having a podcast to demonstrate the step-by-step directions for locker opening would be a very helpful tool!

By the way, my Gabcast is now linked on the left here in this blog!!! My first episode details the school supply list my students are going to need this year for my Language Arts class….very cool!!!

Movie Maker….tricky!

http://www.badongo.com/vid/1194124

Above is a link to the “simple” movie I made using Windown Movie Maker. I used a Flip video camera to film the individual videos I used to make this movie. I really enjoyed using the Flip camera and I think it is a tool I’d like to see if I could purchase through something like DonorsChoose. I can see kids really getting into using one of these Flip cameras and I think it would be a cool way to have them perform a Reader’s Theatre and then publish it on our class website. I also think these Flip cameras would be a great way for students to create a documentary of sorts about a topic we were researching through some Non-Fiction reading. Being given the choice to use something like one of these Flip tooks would definitely motivate my middle school kids to actually do the required reading that would have to take place in order to produce a film about a topic. Having availability to one of these cameras would also provide a neat option for book reports.

 

ALTHOUGH I am a fan of the Flip video recorder, I am NOT a fan of Windows Movie Maker. My video took A LOT of troubleshooting for it to ever actually get into a published form. It took way more steps than I would ever want to have to lead kids through and the obstacles that I faced would be quadrupled if a class of 25 students was trying to make a movie using this program. I had trouble actually getting my video files into Movie Maker, and then once I did get the movie made, I couldn’t hear it!!! Needless to say, it was one hoop after another that had to be navigated. The end product was not worth the overall frustration and headache.

Video and Photography to Support Literacy Learning

In Holbien’s article, it is suggested that students are highly motivated by using video and photography to showcase their reading and writing. Alongside the motivation to actively participate in a literacy activity is the actual learning that takes place when students engage in these projects that combine video and literacy.

In Holbien’s article, a teacher read to 5th grade students from the Beezus and Ramona book by Beverly Cleary. Students then constructed a script that would portray the plot, setting, and dialogue between the characters in a particular scene in the book. Once the script was written and edited, the students videoed themselves acting out the script.

I think this is a great way to get kids engaged in reading and writing. I also really buy into the idea that this shows what kids have learned. The production of a script illustrates that students have comprehended the text and are able to interpret the literature and apply it to a different context (genre). This kind of script writing also enhances students’ creative writing abilities, attention to detail and elaboration, and group cooperation.

I think that using video and photography can be used in Fictional and Non-Fictional reading. I think students would be more willing to pay attention to a video of their classmates teaching about an Informational subject like the Civil Rights Movement, or the vegetation and wildlife in a desert environment than they would a book that teaches about these topics. I would also like to see students write scripts about their personal lives. For instance, my 6th graders come to me each year from four different elementary schools. I think it would be great for them to form groups where each student was from a different school but they had to construt a script that showed something each group member had in common. This would be a great way for these students to get to know one another and then bond together the whole class of students once all of the videos had been viewed.

In today’s society where kids are glued to TVs and videos, it is a genius idea to incorporate these tools into literacy learning.

Decoding Digital texts

Whoa! I am a little overwhelmed with all of the options for creating digital texts, but I think I’ve found the ones that would work for me in my classroom. I put together a project with Slide where I documented the life of my dog Marlee thus far. I really liked that I could be so creative with the Slide program and that the music looped with the whole video. The uploading of images took a little longer than I would like, so that would mean multiple class sessions for students if they were using the program.

As far as the captioning video programs go, I have to be honest, and say that I am not very impressed. I think that the one that Dr. C showed us is cool, but actually doing it is way too time consuming and frustrating for me. Even with help from classmates, there were just too many steps to the process. I tried using the YouTube, Overstream, and Jing process, and found each step to be a little more complicated than the last. I’m sure there are students who would zip through this process being a little more tech savvy than I am, but I still do not think this is a project I would use in my classroom. For students who are not so tech savvy or who have trouble following multiple directions, this project would be a nightmare.

PhotoStory is by far my favorite tool related to digital texts. I found it to be quick, user-friendly, and easy to navigate. I think that kids would really enjoy using Photo Story and would be able to make a project in at least two days time if not just one day. I made a Photo Story of pictures documenting mine and my fiance’s relationship to date. I was also able to add music to the project and really liked that there was an option for actually adding in a voice to the project.

I think that there are a lot of great possibilities for using digital texts in the classroom. I think programs like Slide and Photo Story would be a great tool for students presenting learned information, creating a unique book report or research project, and for me as a teacher to make meaningful slideshows and movies that would document students’ time in my classroom. Especially for those kids who can never afford a yearbook, I could easily make a digital yearbook and burn it to a disc for them to have memories of their year in 6th grade. I also like the idea that Kari gave in class about using digital texts to teach kids a lesson while a substitute is in my class. I could really envision doing that and it would actually give the kids something beneficial to do while I was out instead of the usual worksheet or busy work that has to be left when a sub is needed.

Overall, I am excited about the things I learned using digital texts and maybe with a little more exploration time, I could get the hang of the video capturing.

Webquests are Best

I am very drawn to the idea of using webquests as a way to have students explore web-based literature.  I think this is an inviting and motivating way to get kids involved in a learning experience. The other part I like about the webquest structure is that it accounts for a purpose for the reading being done. It should be noted though, that like most good ideas and projects, a good deal of prior work on the teacher’s part, must be completed. However, a program like TrackStar really makes the planning and work teacher-friendly.

I designed my first WebQuest today and found the process to go quite smoothly. I used TrackStar and liked the different options it provided me in my design. I designed a Resource List for a WebQuest where students would learn about heroes, heroines, and outlaws of the American “Wild West.” In my design, students will use websites for research I have already previewed and explored. Each student will select a particular person or group that is notorious to the Wild West. Students will take notes in a graphic organizer and then use the graphic organizer to write an “I AM” or persona poem that describes their studied individual. Final drafts of poems will be typed in a Word document and then posted on the class’s blog. TrackStar allowed me to easily insert each website’s address into a separate frame AND (even better) provide my students with directions about what I want them to do with the particular website. It doesn’t stop there! TrackStar allowed me to place the websites and directions for students in the order I wanted the kids to complete the tasks, and it’s a permanent place for the assignment. It’s not a piece of paper that can be left at home or lost in a messy locker. Also, having it as a website kids can access allows the students to work at individual paces. I don’t feel like I have to write yesterday and today’s directions on the board. I like it!

TrackStar also allows a teacher to make a worksheet that students fill in while they are reading. The only complaint I have about TrackStar is that you cannot combine a worksheet, resource list, and rubric all into one WebQuest. For instance, in my WebQuest, I would need to provide students with the graphic organizer in class and a rubric that lets them know the criteria for the project. I know TrackStar is not the only host site for WebQuests, but it was the first one I chose to explore. Something like Zunal or TeacherWeb would allow me to combine all of those facets I mentioned above.

Ikpeze & Boyd (2007) talked in their article about how WebQuests ask students to use higher order thinking skills. I certainly think the WebQuest I designed would require my students to exhibit higher order thinking skills. For instance, students have to comprehend the text they read on the websites about the infamous Wild Westers, summarize the information into note form, evaluate what information is most important and interesting, and then use those notes to create a new literacy form – A poem! I definitely think a WebQuest supports the overall educational goal….get kids thinking!

I am excited about the possibilities that can arise from using WebQuests. I taught a unit on the Wild West last year to accompany a novel unit on the novel Holes by Louis Sachar. My students were pysched to learn about gunslingers and the Wild West days, so this WebQuest will certainly be used this year…however, it will be much easier for my kids to navigate through the track I made rather than my just keep writing different directions up on the board each day. I can’t wait!

All the hype about Skype

My best friend McCall was charmed by Skype when her family took a trip to Israel very soon after her older sister gave birth to her niece. Disappointed that they all would not be together to enjoy this new family arrival and that another family member would be missing out on this incredible travel journey, Skype provided a way for these loved ones to connect. I think that is pretty amazing!

I have never used Skype prior to this class, but have heard many people besides McCall sing its praises. It is fun to play around with Skype in a class like this, and anyone can see its obvious effectiveness for communication between people separated by distance. However, using Skype in the classroom was a new idea for me until yesterday. Reading Fryer’s article gave me a different view of how it can be used. I had never thought about using it connect to students from another classroom in a completely different school. How cool would that be?!? I was so happy to learn about ePals and the possibilities associated with it. I can see communicating with other 6th graders from a different part of the United States or a different part of the world being very motivating to students. There are a few things to think about though when dealing with Skype and ePals. I think this is something that a school system, administrator, and parents would have to be educated about in order for this to truly be a success. I can see that all of these parties could become very concerned about the privacy and safety of students. Articles like those written by Wesley Fryer and testimonies from teachers and schools who have actually implemented this idea are very helpful when educating administrators and parents.

I also think that Skype could be used to hold conferences with parents who have trouble leaving work to get to school but who also want to feel like they are getting a face to face discussion instead of just over the phone.

Skype is something that I think I would like to use in my classroom and I think I would love exchanging ideas and information with a teacher and group of students in another place, but as I stated earlier, I think that some background information will have to be gathered and presented before I am actually able to use this project with my students.

Delicious is Yummy!

Our technology facilitator at school encouraged us to use I Keep Bookmarks, but I saw it as just one more thing I had to do. Not only that, but I wasn’t really in the mood that day to reorganize the bookmarked sites on my computer, so memory lapsed and social bookmarking didn’t happen for me.

As of this week, I now have a Delicious account. It was so simple to set up and I love that I now have these sites organized by categories. Furthermore, I like that I can see other sites I might want to check out by looking at someone else’s bookmarks that is connected to one of my bookmarks. I find that to be even more helpful than googling a topic I might be searching. For instance, I have a bookmark about the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia because I have planned a canoeing trip there. It’s neat to see what other trips I might could find based on the bookmarks that someone else had tagged along with tagging the same site I had about the Okefenokee Swamp.

As for classroom application, I see much use in a site like Delicious where I could tag certain websites for my students to have easy access to. Moreover, I like that you can access these bookmarks from any computer instead of just my personal laptop…a very convenient feature! Of course, that feature also extends into the homes of my students or at the public library or any computer that a student might be on to complete an assignment. I think students would also find social bookmarking helpful when working in a group on a research project. Each group member could tag the sites he/she was using for their part of the project, and all group members would have access to them.

Delicious is definitely something new that I will continue to use beyond this class. I also plan to incorporate it into my Language Arts classroom this year. I want to set up a separate Delicious account and link it to my class website so parents and students will have access to sites I think they would be interested in and find useful.

Tweet, Tweet, Tweetle Dee

Prior to this class, I had already declared myself as anti-Twitter. I’ve already hopped on the Facebok bandwagon where I am able to share my comings and goings with others and vice versa. Personally, I’d rather live my life than keep up with “updates.” However, when it’s part of the class assignment, one doesn’t protesteth too much. After exploring a little on Twitter and thinking about it in terms of educational possibilities, I’ve come to a few conclusions.

 

For one, I think that Twitter is like a little mini-autobiography about certain people that I might be interested in or that students would be interested in. For instance, I am following Oprah and Dara Torres. It’s interesting to see what each is doing, to hear what quotes are currently inspiring them, or what random thing in the world each has noticed today. When we are interested in someone, we read about them…hence the publishing of biographies and autobiographies. Although these types of texts provide the history on someone, they lack the most up-to-date info about the person. Because I do a biography/autobiography project with my students each year, I think Twitter could be a cool supplemental literacy genre to add to the research component of the project. I’m pretty sure my 6th graders would love seeing what the person they choose to study is up to on a daily basis.

As far as using Twitter for parent communications, homework help, etc., I don’t think it’s the most practical way. I think that a blog, website, or threaded discussion board is a more effective and feasible way to go about these applications. Again, I just don’t see me updating something more than once or twice/day….I do have a life outside of school.

I think that students would like Twitter and I think there is value in exposing students, particularly those in a very rural school such as the one I teach in, to a new trend in technology..if for no other reason, it does give students practice expressing themselves and they aren’t “in the dark” compared to other kids around the state, country, globe.

Threaded Discussion Boards

I just want to say that I think using the threaded discussion board for a class discussion is AWESOME.  Although there are some kinks that might need to be worked out such as access to labs and making sure that actual verbal communication continues to take place in the classroom, overall, I think these boards make for a great way to get kids talking. I also think these boards are teacher-friendly. Sometimes it is so time consuming to walk around the room and try to listen to what each group of kids is talking about; whereas with the threaded discussion boards, I can see what all of my students are talking about and respond to them immediately.  Not only that, but the threaded discussion boards make for a great model of what good dialogue should resemble. For those students who are not always comfortable participating in oral discussions, this is a good place to experiment with having their voices heard. I could see this kind of written talking and thinking translating well into oral discussions that would take place at another time during the class.

I can’t wait to try out a threaded discussion board this year in my class. I’m pretty sure our school email has a feature that allows for discussion. It’s one of the first things I’m going to look into when this class ends and I can focus on some back-to-school lesson planning.