Monday, July 20, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Final Blog: We've Only Just Begun
This has been an amazing summer! When I think about all that I have learned, I am simply blown away. But, I also recognize that most of what I've learned about mulitmedia is just merely scratching the surface. For example, I now know how to use Movie Maker, but I am nowhere near the point where I feel like I have mastered all of the "tricks." And, I feel that way about most of the tools we've learned about; I've certainly improved my competency, but I have a lot of room for growth. I think that's a good thing (well, a GREAT thing would for me to be a guru on all of these tools, but that probably isn't possible). It gives me the chance to really think about which tools are worth investing extra time in -- for myself, my colleagues, and my students.
As I look ahead to my first year as a teacher librarian, I see three tools/resources that I want to focus on: Google, the AEA, and podcasting.
It goes against my nature to support BIG Corporatism, but like it or not, Google is the cutting edge on so many "free" tools. Though not perfect, I have really found our class site to be useful, and it's made me think about how I could incorporate this feature into my library. I definitely think it could be a great way for kids or teachers to collaborate. I am also thinking about how I can use Google Reader. I love the idea of kids being able to collect up-to-date information about a given topic, and I'm thinking about ways to promote this approach in a systematic way.
I know that as a teacher, I was not very good about using the AEA or promoting it with my students (or colleagues). Now that I've seen its full potential: DE Streaming, AP Photos, SIRS, EBSCO, etc., I feel the need to really promote this resource as a place students should always go to when they start a research project.
Finally, I am excited about the potential that podcasting holds. I'll admit that, at first, I did not think it would be that powerful of a tool. But, now that I have seen how it works (and how easy it is), Ireally think it is something that not only kids could get into, but it is also something that teachers might be likely to incorporate into their lesson plans. I think it has a huge potential to give kids ownership of a lot of what goes on in school, even outside of classroom.
As far as who I am following, I have RSS feeds going in my Google Reader on both Joyce Valenza (one of the best websites I've seen in the field!) and David Warlick. My plan is to closely follow a couple of people for a while and then choose others to follow for awhile -- it's good to get all kinds of different perspectives. But, as far as Valenza and Warlick, I really appreciate the enthusiasm and vision that both of them bring to the field. I particularly like how Warlick has stopped refering to what we are doing as 21st century learning and instead is calling it "contemporary literacy." I know it's just semantics, but I think that it seems to better capture what educators have always needed to do. Compared to our predecessors, we're not anything special, we just have different ways to get at the same goal.
I would be remiss if I did not address the most powerful personal learning network we all have going right now and that is the 20 of us and those professors who have taught us so far and will teach us in the future (and hopefully, eventually, the second cohort, as well). I get just as many ideas from all of you as I do from any other thinker or practitioner on the subject. Even better, we can continue to bounce ideas off one another, laugh together, and cry together. Hopefully not much of the latter, but Darla is leaving Bdorf Monday, and it's not going to be a fun time : ( Anyway, I have learned so much from all of you, and I think it's great that we have this amazing group of people to draw from. THANKS!
As I look ahead to my first year as a teacher librarian, I see three tools/resources that I want to focus on: Google, the AEA, and podcasting.
It goes against my nature to support BIG Corporatism, but like it or not, Google is the cutting edge on so many "free" tools. Though not perfect, I have really found our class site to be useful, and it's made me think about how I could incorporate this feature into my library. I definitely think it could be a great way for kids or teachers to collaborate. I am also thinking about how I can use Google Reader. I love the idea of kids being able to collect up-to-date information about a given topic, and I'm thinking about ways to promote this approach in a systematic way.
I know that as a teacher, I was not very good about using the AEA or promoting it with my students (or colleagues). Now that I've seen its full potential: DE Streaming, AP Photos, SIRS, EBSCO, etc., I feel the need to really promote this resource as a place students should always go to when they start a research project.
Finally, I am excited about the potential that podcasting holds. I'll admit that, at first, I did not think it would be that powerful of a tool. But, now that I have seen how it works (and how easy it is), Ireally think it is something that not only kids could get into, but it is also something that teachers might be likely to incorporate into their lesson plans. I think it has a huge potential to give kids ownership of a lot of what goes on in school, even outside of classroom.
As far as who I am following, I have RSS feeds going in my Google Reader on both Joyce Valenza (one of the best websites I've seen in the field!) and David Warlick. My plan is to closely follow a couple of people for a while and then choose others to follow for awhile -- it's good to get all kinds of different perspectives. But, as far as Valenza and Warlick, I really appreciate the enthusiasm and vision that both of them bring to the field. I particularly like how Warlick has stopped refering to what we are doing as 21st century learning and instead is calling it "contemporary literacy." I know it's just semantics, but I think that it seems to better capture what educators have always needed to do. Compared to our predecessors, we're not anything special, we just have different ways to get at the same goal.
I would be remiss if I did not address the most powerful personal learning network we all have going right now and that is the 20 of us and those professors who have taught us so far and will teach us in the future (and hopefully, eventually, the second cohort, as well). I get just as many ideas from all of you as I do from any other thinker or practitioner on the subject. Even better, we can continue to bounce ideas off one another, laugh together, and cry together. Hopefully not much of the latter, but Darla is leaving Bdorf Monday, and it's not going to be a fun time : ( Anyway, I have learned so much from all of you, and I think it's great that we have this amazing group of people to draw from. THANKS!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Fun With Photoshop!
So, I began my photoediting experiment with IrfanView, and let's just say it did not go well. After spending about 15 minutes altering a photo, it just started running a slideshow of all of my photos. Though I could get back to my original photo, I could not get back to my edits (yeah, I know, I should have saved...but I was still playing around at that point). Moreover, it just wanted to run the slideshow. When I tried to start over, it kept going into slideshow mode. I don't normally give up that easy, but I'm starting to get a little bit freaked that Irfanview (aka Infrared) is taking over my laptop. It's totally commandeered all of my image files and weird things have been happening to my desktop icons, and...well, I'd love to hear from anyone out there who a) can explain the slideshow sideshow or b) LOVES IrfanView and wants to sell me on it/enlighten me.
I ended my photoediting experiment with Photoshop. I have used Photoshop before, but it was a different version. My version is taking a little getting used to, but I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. I worked on a few photos, practicing cropping, some of the auto features, and some of the filters. Here is one of my "final" projects, a picture of Chris Dodd. I've included the original so you can see my changes.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
What It All Means
This chapter was extremely helpful in laying out the new ways we all need to be thinking about teaching and learning. Examining the "Big Shifts" is a useful way for me to see where I am in terms of being a 21st century teacher and teacher librarian. The good news is, while I still have some things to wrap my brain around and fully embrace, I feel like I am in a good place.
Also, I texted Google for the definition of "stickleback" a la page 133. How COOL!
Also, I texted Google for the definition of "stickleback" a la page 133. How COOL!
Podcasting, Video and Screencasting, Live Streaming
On Sunday, Casey Kasem broadcast his last countdown on the public airwaves. Talk about the day the music died. When I was a kid, I listened to Casey Kasem and Rick Dees every Sunday. My best friend and I used to create little radio shows we taped on my first "stereo" (In addition to recording and introducing music, I distinctly remember doing play-by-play of a Cardinals game and a Boris Becker/Ivan Lendl tennis match -- Boris Becker ended up with a tennis ball stuck in his ear; we created a Culligan commercial and a new episode of Three's Company; and, I insisted upon carrying on with the worst Pee-Wee Herman impression ever recorded). When MTV arrived, video did not kill the radio star because this radio star lived in the country and did not have cable. Corporate ownership of radio stations killed the radio star. When my favorite radio station KIIK 104 decided to change its format and go to an all-oldies radio station, well, I started going crazy for CDs.
So, I am thrilled by the emergence of podcasting. It's beautiful -- Pump Up the Volume hits the 21st century. As a lover of independent music, I think the possibilities are incredible. As an educator, I think back to my goofy self as a kid and know that I would have thriven on such a medium. There, too, the possibilities are incredible. As we discussed in class, podcasting for fluency would be a great way to use the tool. I also really like the idea of a "school radio station" where both academic and non-academic information and performances can be shared. For those who are somewhat leery of public sharing, it is a great way to test the waters with a little bit more anonymity than a video offers. Having had just a little practice with it already and found it to be very easy to use, I feel like many teachers would be comfortable implementing into their lesson plans.
So, I am thrilled by the emergence of podcasting. It's beautiful -- Pump Up the Volume hits the 21st century. As a lover of independent music, I think the possibilities are incredible. As an educator, I think back to my goofy self as a kid and know that I would have thriven on such a medium. There, too, the possibilities are incredible. As we discussed in class, podcasting for fluency would be a great way to use the tool. I also really like the idea of a "school radio station" where both academic and non-academic information and performances can be shared. For those who are somewhat leery of public sharing, it is a great way to test the waters with a little bit more anonymity than a video offers. Having had just a little practice with it already and found it to be very easy to use, I feel like many teachers would be comfortable implementing into their lesson plans.
Implementation
1. I would welcome any advice on developing my personal learning network (all of you are certainly in that category for me right now -- thanks!!!!). Who feels like they have something that is working?
2. I loved the line about how teaching technology would be like teaching pencil (160)...I'm not sure the analogy totally works, but I think it's a great way to think about what we do as educators.
2. I loved the line about how teaching technology would be like teaching pencil (160)...I'm not sure the analogy totally works, but I think it's a great way to think about what we do as educators.
Ethics and Context
I thought Warlick's statistics about what students do online -- suggesting that their activity is much more likely to be school related than most people imagine -- is telling information. While many parents are very open to Classroom 2.0 innovations, many are also leery about the possibilities. It is going to be a challenge for us (and our colleagues) to start alleviating some of these fears by teaching our communities about the benefits that await our young people (and the possible detriment to their future success if we don't embrace some of these new learning tools).
Along those same lines, I do have a question. Because I have taught only at the high school level, this has not been much of an issue. However, I know that in recent years, there have been concerns about the practice of students switching papers and correcting one another's work. For some lower-performing students, this has been an embarrassing experience and some teachers have stopped doing it altogether. So, how does this transfer into the digital world? What if some students (and/or their) parents do not want their work published -- even in a "private"/"protected" wiki or blog? (Anyone who has done peer reviewing in a class has surely run into a multitude of issues here, of course.) Certainly, I can imagine alternative assignments, but how might one go about addressing this, en masse?
Along those same lines, I do have a question. Because I have taught only at the high school level, this has not been much of an issue. However, I know that in recent years, there have been concerns about the practice of students switching papers and correcting one another's work. For some lower-performing students, this has been an embarrassing experience and some teachers have stopped doing it altogether. So, how does this transfer into the digital world? What if some students (and/or their) parents do not want their work published -- even in a "private"/"protected" wiki or blog? (Anyone who has done peer reviewing in a class has surely run into a multitude of issues here, of course.) Certainly, I can imagine alternative assignments, but how might one go about addressing this, en masse?
Exposing What Is True
This chapter is absolutely rich with information, but I want to comment on just two things.
First, I think Warlick makes a good point about getting to know students' parents by inviting the "village" in. Obviously, parent contact is always important, but I think Classroom 2.0 innovations allow for more authentic connections with parents. Instead of simply notifying parents of grades and behaviors or school events, this is a chance to truly get parents involved in their child's learning on a much deeper level. Of course, it also raises some logistical concerns about the digital divide and how schools will work to ensure that all families have access to equipment and skills -- definitely a 21st century challenge.
I totally agree with Warlick's investigative strategies, and I think he provides many useful tips about teaching the process of research. However, I also think we need to be wary of overdoing things like the "search log" component. Having assigned similar tasks to students, I have found that it takes a fine balance of getting students to be thorough and effective researchers (I like the idea of making students defend their sources as part of the process) without making the research process the most laborious and gruelling exercise in detail they have ever done.
First, I think Warlick makes a good point about getting to know students' parents by inviting the "village" in. Obviously, parent contact is always important, but I think Classroom 2.0 innovations allow for more authentic connections with parents. Instead of simply notifying parents of grades and behaviors or school events, this is a chance to truly get parents involved in their child's learning on a much deeper level. Of course, it also raises some logistical concerns about the digital divide and how schools will work to ensure that all families have access to equipment and skills -- definitely a 21st century challenge.
I totally agree with Warlick's investigative strategies, and I think he provides many useful tips about teaching the process of research. However, I also think we need to be wary of overdoing things like the "search log" component. Having assigned similar tasks to students, I have found that it takes a fine balance of getting students to be thorough and effective researchers (I like the idea of making students defend their sources as part of the process) without making the research process the most laborious and gruelling exercise in detail they have ever done.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Employing the Information
There are three things I appreciated about this chapter.
#1. I like that fact that Warlick addressed some literacies that are not yet "basic" (data scraping, mashups, etc.) but are still in need of consideration. Though it seems nearly impossible at times, sometimes a view of the "Big Picture" of technology is useful -- even if it's not all comprehendible.
#2. His discussion on music was interesting, and I thought his point about activating all senses was important. How does Muzak play into all of this? : )
#3. I really liked his "Action Items" at the end of the chapter. Not only did I find some useful tips for media specialists, but I also found what he had to offer other educational participants helpful as well.
#1. I like that fact that Warlick addressed some literacies that are not yet "basic" (data scraping, mashups, etc.) but are still in need of consideration. Though it seems nearly impossible at times, sometimes a view of the "Big Picture" of technology is useful -- even if it's not all comprehendible.
#2. His discussion on music was interesting, and I thought his point about activating all senses was important. How does Muzak play into all of this? : )
#3. I really liked his "Action Items" at the end of the chapter. Not only did I find some useful tips for media specialists, but I also found what he had to offer other educational participants helpful as well.
A Day in the Life of School 2.0 -- 2015
I thought Warlick's statement that we need to add "futurist" to our job descriptions was intriguing. Not something I would have thought of (can one major in futurism?!), but I think his point that we are preparing students for a future that we know almost nothing about is significant. It really is mindblowing to think about how much the world has changed in just the last 5 years, not to mention the last 20, 30, 40. A little daunting (but exciting!) to say the least.
I also thought the point he made about computer access (who would ever think of asking students to share a textbook? Though, that unfortunately happens, too) and the fact that the tools we use to communicate with students "...should not have to be checked-out from the media center" were both strong statements about the value that school districts need to start placing on technology. Finally, I liked his concept about creating some kind of universal profile so that people can network across sites like MySpace, Facebook, and beyond. How cool.
I also thought the point he made about computer access (who would ever think of asking students to share a textbook? Though, that unfortunately happens, too) and the fact that the tools we use to communicate with students "...should not have to be checked-out from the media center" were both strong statements about the value that school districts need to start placing on technology. Finally, I liked his concept about creating some kind of universal profile so that people can network across sites like MySpace, Facebook, and beyond. How cool.
Remember the Time?
Reportedly, more people first heard about Michael Jackson's death online than from any other news source. This should come as no surprise, though I was glad I happened to hear it from Brian Williams first. There is something very cold about reading about someone's death in a brief headline link, which I've been doing a bit too much of lately. Somehow, that personal voice does make a difference.
Fun With Flickr: Creating, Publishing, and Using Images Online
I am very much looking forward to finding ways to use Flickr as a teaching/learning tool. Ideas like the Jane Goodall project and connecting photos to actual places via Google Earth are amazing. I had no idea the potential held in Flickr!
I tried to link to "The Great Flickr Tools Collection" via the link offered by Richardson and had no luck. However, I think I did find the site he was referring to and can't wait to start trying out some of these unique tools!
I would be interested to know, how many people in class regularly use Flickr? Snapfish? Some other photo service? How many of you have done something with these tools in class? It would be nice to compare notes.
I tried to link to "The Great Flickr Tools Collection" via the link offered by Richardson and had no luck. However, I think I did find the site he was referring to and can't wait to start trying out some of these unique tools!
I would be interested to know, how many people in class regularly use Flickr? Snapfish? Some other photo service? How many of you have done something with these tools in class? It would be nice to compare notes.
The Social Web: Learning Together
One of these days I'm just going to have to suck it up and join Facebook. Too many of my friends are after me to get an account, and I'll admit, I do feel a little out of the loop without one. Just a little.
The other day a friend of mine said to me, "The only people I know who don't have Facebook accounts are teachers!" Of course, this could be a sad comment on how out-of-touch teachers are when it comes to social networking technology, but that's not what she was driving at. Another teacher friend of hers had commented, "Why would I want a fake social life when I don't even have time for a real social life?" Though I initially hesitated to join Facebook for privacy/security issues, my real excuse now is time, or, the lack thereof.
That being said, the ability for social networking sites like Diigo and del.icio.us to save time is incredible. Though a newbie to both, I am looking forward to finding ways to use them with colleagues and students. I love the idea of being able to help students (and staff) organize their work throughout the year, and I think the idea of having students collect information using something like Diigo helps create a real atmosphere of academia that perhaps is difficult to simulate in other ways (like a high school locker, for example).
Something I definitely need more help in comprehending is tagging. I get the basic concept, but I think I need more concrete examples and practice.
I appreciated Richardson's discussion of Twitter. I think the situation in Iran has really brought to light its importance (and sort of turned the Big Brother fear on its head; though, unfortunately, the technology is still being used against the people after the fact). Does Twitter have a "serious news" versus "fluff" option? I know that would be hard to control, but social networking sites do have a history of working to control the environment to a high level, a la Wikipedia. It seems to be where that technology needs to go.
The other day a friend of mine said to me, "The only people I know who don't have Facebook accounts are teachers!" Of course, this could be a sad comment on how out-of-touch teachers are when it comes to social networking technology, but that's not what she was driving at. Another teacher friend of hers had commented, "Why would I want a fake social life when I don't even have time for a real social life?" Though I initially hesitated to join Facebook for privacy/security issues, my real excuse now is time, or, the lack thereof.
That being said, the ability for social networking sites like Diigo and del.icio.us to save time is incredible. Though a newbie to both, I am looking forward to finding ways to use them with colleagues and students. I love the idea of being able to help students (and staff) organize their work throughout the year, and I think the idea of having students collect information using something like Diigo helps create a real atmosphere of academia that perhaps is difficult to simulate in other ways (like a high school locker, for example).
Something I definitely need more help in comprehending is tagging. I get the basic concept, but I think I need more concrete examples and practice.
I appreciated Richardson's discussion of Twitter. I think the situation in Iran has really brought to light its importance (and sort of turned the Big Brother fear on its head; though, unfortunately, the technology is still being used against the people after the fact). Does Twitter have a "serious news" versus "fluff" option? I know that would be hard to control, but social networking sites do have a history of working to control the environment to a high level, a la Wikipedia. It seems to be where that technology needs to go.
RSS: The New Killer App for Educators
I am very excited about my Google Reader, and though I doubt I'll be able to realize even a modicum of its potential for awhile, I am already thankful for the blog feeds I'm getting for this class. How much easier to follow my three blogs than by having to link to them each time (which, admittedly, is how I started -- I have so many new habits to develop -- and really isn't all that difficult in itself)!
I think this is an amazing tool to get into the hands of students (and teachers). Which begs the question: when? As I look to start a new library position, I can see this as something that every student should start the year with (or maybe we should start small with just the 9th graders and build from there?). But, how does one go about this effectively? Any thoughts?
Richardson makes a point of having Google Reader (or whichever aggregate) become a part of one's daily routine. For me, this is going to be essential. Right now, I have four things I do every time I go online. I check my nephew's blog, I check the Lakers website, and I check both of my email accounts (I am so happy I'm only working with two right now...once school starts, I'm back to three again -- ugh!). So, my first goal is to get my nephew and the Lakers "aggregated"; then I will build professionally (and probably personally) from there. Are there any email aggregates out there?
I think this is an amazing tool to get into the hands of students (and teachers). Which begs the question: when? As I look to start a new library position, I can see this as something that every student should start the year with (or maybe we should start small with just the 9th graders and build from there?). But, how does one go about this effectively? Any thoughts?
Richardson makes a point of having Google Reader (or whichever aggregate) become a part of one's daily routine. For me, this is going to be essential. Right now, I have four things I do every time I go online. I check my nephew's blog, I check the Lakers website, and I check both of my email accounts (I am so happy I'm only working with two right now...once school starts, I'm back to three again -- ugh!). So, my first goal is to get my nephew and the Lakers "aggregated"; then I will build professionally (and probably personally) from there. Are there any email aggregates out there?
Weblogs: Get Started!
So, the second paragraph of this chapter tells us that the best way to understand the potential of blogging is to start doing it. Indeed! As mentioned before, I am a somewhat reluctant blogger, but as I engage more and more in the process, I am definitely thinking about new ways to use this in the classroom and in the library. But, I will say, there is a difference between teachers who teach writing, writing, and teachers who teach reading, reading (isn't that all teachers!)...blogging is public and the other two need not be. That, of course, is the radical shift that I am still wrapping my mind around.
And, because of that, I think that is the radical shift that other teachers, administrators, and parents will need to wrap their minds around. Especially as there are still parents who will not even grant their students school Internet access. Clearly, this needs to be a well-planned and articulated process to get all parties enthusiastically on board.
Also, I am very excited about the "Blogger for Word" tool and have already downloaded it (though I have not had much of a chance to play with it yet). If anyone has any experience with it, I'd love to hear from you.
And, because of that, I think that is the radical shift that other teachers, administrators, and parents will need to wrap their minds around. Especially as there are still parents who will not even grant their students school Internet access. Clearly, this needs to be a well-planned and articulated process to get all parties enthusiastically on board.
Also, I am very excited about the "Blogger for Word" tool and have already downloaded it (though I have not had much of a chance to play with it yet). If anyone has any experience with it, I'd love to hear from you.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
School Blogs: "The Electric Pencil" and "In Need of Coffee"
I'm not going to lie. I chose these blogs because of their titles. What kind of a role model am I? But, there's a lesson here, Blogosphere, right?
Anyway, "The Electric Pencil" (http://epencil.edublog/org/) is a blog set up for a sixth grade class. The most impressive element of the blog is its demonstration of how much writing took place throughout the school year. While it's unclear how involved or thorough all of the writing projects were, there were 78 writing prompts listed that students were ostensibly responsible for! Wow. Students were asked to write everything from expository paragraphs to short stories to free writes to imaginary tree house plans. While not much student work was accessible anymore, there were a few examples which showed obvious use of technology (the site includes links to various "art tools" which help student create digital storyboards, comic strips, etc.). Very cool.
"In Need of Coffee" (http://seventhirtyblues.blogspot.com) is a blog supposedly devoted to high school literature. Not posted to since June 2006, it was hard to gauge the exact purpose of this blog. Its description reads, "[w]hen a student understands the words of a text, interacts with those words beyond the assignment given, allows those words to have meaning in his or her life, there is no greater satisfaction for a teacher of literature." Indeed -- no argument here. So, while at times it seemed the students were given prompts (Iraq, Internet Safety, a book vs. the movie, etc.), it mostly seemed like students were to use this a place to free write. It was unclear if there was any kind of "real" assignment associated with the blog or any kind of entry quota . It seemed a kind of experiment that, after June 2006, was abandoned (or perhaps manifested itself elsewhere). Students posted some ramblings but also some very thoughtful ideas.
After examining both of these blogs, it has become clear to me that 1) blogs are an excellent way to get students writing, and 2) it's important for the purpose of the blog to be articulated to students. It's impossible to tell by looking at the above blogs how well students understood the expectations -- whatever they were. I'm not sure an outside audience necessarily has to know that. But, clearly, participants do.
Anyway, "The Electric Pencil" (http://epencil.edublog/org/) is a blog set up for a sixth grade class. The most impressive element of the blog is its demonstration of how much writing took place throughout the school year. While it's unclear how involved or thorough all of the writing projects were, there were 78 writing prompts listed that students were ostensibly responsible for! Wow. Students were asked to write everything from expository paragraphs to short stories to free writes to imaginary tree house plans. While not much student work was accessible anymore, there were a few examples which showed obvious use of technology (the site includes links to various "art tools" which help student create digital storyboards, comic strips, etc.). Very cool.
"In Need of Coffee" (http://seventhirtyblues.blogspot.com) is a blog supposedly devoted to high school literature. Not posted to since June 2006, it was hard to gauge the exact purpose of this blog. Its description reads, "[w]hen a student understands the words of a text, interacts with those words beyond the assignment given, allows those words to have meaning in his or her life, there is no greater satisfaction for a teacher of literature." Indeed -- no argument here. So, while at times it seemed the students were given prompts (Iraq, Internet Safety, a book vs. the movie, etc.), it mostly seemed like students were to use this a place to free write. It was unclear if there was any kind of "real" assignment associated with the blog or any kind of entry quota . It seemed a kind of experiment that, after June 2006, was abandoned (or perhaps manifested itself elsewhere). Students posted some ramblings but also some very thoughtful ideas.
After examining both of these blogs, it has become clear to me that 1) blogs are an excellent way to get students writing, and 2) it's important for the purpose of the blog to be articulated to students. It's impossible to tell by looking at the above blogs how well students understood the expectations -- whatever they were. I'm not sure an outside audience necessarily has to know that. But, clearly, participants do.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Educator Blogs: Wes Fryer's "Moving at the Speed of Creativity" and Will Richardson's "Weblogg-ed: Learning With the Read/Write Web"
First off, let me say that after spending minimal time over the past few days with Fryer's (http://www.speedofcreativity.org/) and Richardson's (http://weblogg-ed.com) blogs, I am both overwhelmed and amazed by the amount of information contained within each. One thing that I can definitely appreciate about blogging is that, in the world of education especially, it's very refreshing to have constant open debate about pressing issues.
Both blogs offer many useful posts and other resources, including links to other educator and classroom blogs. My number one criticism of each, and I suppose this is typical of blogs in general (and I'm sure will soon be a mark of mine, once it has more material added to it), is the very long "page 1" that acts as the home page. As a reader, I would be better served if I just had a couple of posts to grapple with at one time. But, that's just me, being all analog, I guess.
What I like best about Fryer's blog is his collection of presentation handouts. These are not only useful in themselves, but they also give a sense of what kind of professional development is going on at various schools. Moreover, I found his podcast help to be useful (especially in light of our future exploits).
Two issues of import that were raised in some of the posts included how to reach "analog readers" with tools like Sunnygram, Presto, and Celery and the mobile phone debate in schools.
As someone who has struggled to bridge that technological gap with my grandmothers, I think such tools are an important stop-gap measure as we all transition to a fully digital world. And, as far as the cell phone debate goes, I have run the whole gamut, from wanting to jam the lines, to now recognizing how useful a tool such technology can be (and, simply, how much more useful cell phones have actually become).
I found Fryer's blog to be very informative but not so user-friendly in terms of his layout. Will Richardson's blog, on the other hand, was much cleaner in its layout. I especially appreciated his categorized/catalogued postings. Also, I thought his bio and "About" section were very informative. At the same time, Richardson's blog seemed a little more commercial than Fryer's(lots of testimonials and ads for his book).
Nevertheless, Richardson's blog was amazing fot its vast collection of educator blogs (listed on a wiki; some were even briefly annotated). I also think his "RSS: A Quick Start Guide for Educators" will come in handy. One thing I especially appreciated from Richardson was found in one of his Youtube videos. He makes a distinction between Web 2.o and the Read/Write Web and discusses the power of publishing. The fact that more people are publishing on the web allows for greater connections and for greater learning communities. I think that's what we're all about, and it was nice to hear it articulated that way.
Both blogs offer many useful posts and other resources, including links to other educator and classroom blogs. My number one criticism of each, and I suppose this is typical of blogs in general (and I'm sure will soon be a mark of mine, once it has more material added to it), is the very long "page 1" that acts as the home page. As a reader, I would be better served if I just had a couple of posts to grapple with at one time. But, that's just me, being all analog, I guess.
What I like best about Fryer's blog is his collection of presentation handouts. These are not only useful in themselves, but they also give a sense of what kind of professional development is going on at various schools. Moreover, I found his podcast help to be useful (especially in light of our future exploits).
Two issues of import that were raised in some of the posts included how to reach "analog readers" with tools like Sunnygram, Presto, and Celery and the mobile phone debate in schools.
As someone who has struggled to bridge that technological gap with my grandmothers, I think such tools are an important stop-gap measure as we all transition to a fully digital world. And, as far as the cell phone debate goes, I have run the whole gamut, from wanting to jam the lines, to now recognizing how useful a tool such technology can be (and, simply, how much more useful cell phones have actually become).
I found Fryer's blog to be very informative but not so user-friendly in terms of his layout. Will Richardson's blog, on the other hand, was much cleaner in its layout. I especially appreciated his categorized/catalogued postings. Also, I thought his bio and "About" section were very informative. At the same time, Richardson's blog seemed a little more commercial than Fryer's(lots of testimonials and ads for his book).
Nevertheless, Richardson's blog was amazing fot its vast collection of educator blogs (listed on a wiki; some were even briefly annotated). I also think his "RSS: A Quick Start Guide for Educators" will come in handy. One thing I especially appreciated from Richardson was found in one of his Youtube videos. He makes a distinction between Web 2.o and the Read/Write Web and discusses the power of publishing. The fact that more people are publishing on the web allows for greater connections and for greater learning communities. I think that's what we're all about, and it was nice to hear it articulated that way.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Weblogs: Pedagogy and Practice
There's an episode of Seinfeld where George has lost his job and is trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life and he suggests to Jerry that he could become a color man in sports broadcasting because he often makes "interesting" comments as he watches games. This, to me, has often been what blogs are all about -- lots of George Costanzas making "interesting" comments about random happenings. Yikes.
As a student, I am apprehensive about blogging because I'm a drafter. It makes me nervous to just put something out there without spending a lot of time polishing it, and, to be honest, I'm not always comfortable with making my work public, even if it is polished.
But, as an educator, I have started to come around to the idea of blogging, and I really do believe it can be a powerful learning tool. As Richardson points out, it is easy and it is "real" writing in that there is always some kind of actual audience to consider. This is powerful.
I also really like the idea of creating an "online filing cabinet" that students carry with them throughout their entire educational careers. Not only would this help schools become paperless, but it is an excellent way to archive student work, build on past learning and track progress.
Teachers, too, could obviously professionally benefit from online collaboration. And, I agree with Richardson that blogs could help better communicate with parents and the community at large (especially in extending the "walls" of the classroom).
So, as a teacher librarian, I think it is important to start demonstrating to teachers how they might use blogs in their own classrooms. Also, I would like to add something as a feature to the existing website at my current school.
As a student, I am apprehensive about blogging because I'm a drafter. It makes me nervous to just put something out there without spending a lot of time polishing it, and, to be honest, I'm not always comfortable with making my work public, even if it is polished.
But, as an educator, I have started to come around to the idea of blogging, and I really do believe it can be a powerful learning tool. As Richardson points out, it is easy and it is "real" writing in that there is always some kind of actual audience to consider. This is powerful.
I also really like the idea of creating an "online filing cabinet" that students carry with them throughout their entire educational careers. Not only would this help schools become paperless, but it is an excellent way to archive student work, build on past learning and track progress.
Teachers, too, could obviously professionally benefit from online collaboration. And, I agree with Richardson that blogs could help better communicate with parents and the community at large (especially in extending the "walls" of the classroom).
So, as a teacher librarian, I think it is important to start demonstrating to teachers how they might use blogs in their own classrooms. Also, I would like to add something as a feature to the existing website at my current school.
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