Final Blog: KWL

When I started this class I wanted to learn how to integrate technology into daily lessons without the lesson being about technology.  I also wanted to be confident using Web 2.0 tools with students and be able to demonstrate its legitimacy for teaching  and learning to colleagues and administrators. This class has forced me to take the tech plunge and begin to explore, to try, and apply the tech tools introduced.   I am so much more confident about how to manage all the information about technology through tools such as Diigo and Google Reader.  

This class was challenging for me because I had not yet utilized technology in my classroom

beyond the basic Web 1.0 tools such as word documents, e-mail, researching on the web, and using easybib and Wordle.  Although I had tried a few new things, like Glogster, this course gave me the required push to move towards Web 2.0 tools.  This course has consisted of me having lots of repeated exposure to the web tools that will support collaboration and communication which will become the foundation for the units I design next year around technology.

I would like to think that technology becomes integrated into lesson plans each and every day. I plan to explore more with Google apps and the sharing of documents with and between students as well as colleagues.  I’d like to see students using audioboo, wiki pages, and other tools to show what they know.

Week # 8: Personal Learning Networks

     Personal Learning Networks.......YIKES!  A slow flush of anxiety begins to settle over me just thinking about trying to keep up with all the information coming at me, flying past me, and passing me by.  Wesley Flyer’s blog, Moving at the Speed of Creativity, about creating personal learning networks is, simply put, the only way to comfortably handle the onslaught of information and manage what’s important in an organized system.  By choosing what’s important and how much information you can handle allows you to “tap into the flow of conversation, a web-based learning ecology”, either by jumping right in or testing the water with your big toe!  I’m definitely testing the water and going in slowly.  I am inspired by his quote: “...people look to us to model learning new technologies.”  With the new class I’ll  be teaching, 2st Century Skills, I believe people will be looking to me to model how to use digital tools and how to integrate those skills into their daily lessons.  My first small step, was starting a learning network involving other colleagues helping to establish the content of the class.  Okay, it’s more of a group than a network, but we do use Google Docs to share, edit, and comment.   

     Another small step I’ve taken - by force, but now I appreciate it’s value - is using Google Reader.  I like being able to subscribe to feeds NOW that I will go back to at a later date to explore for relevance, practicality, and helpfulness to me in planning for and teaching my new class.  This will be the time to do as Flyer suggests: read, evaluate, critique, and write.  I feel confident that I can do this and then my next step will be jumping in to comment and share.  

     I love Diigo.  Its bookmark, highlight, note taking capacity make it an excellent choice for creating a real collaborative personal learning network.  Of the three ways suggested to start a PLN, social bookmarking, Twitter, or Blog, I was thrilled Diigo was discussed.  It made me feel like maybe I’m on the right track.  I couldn’t even read about Twitter.  I’m not there yet but I’m getting curious. I notice Diigo has a Twitter.  Maybe I’ll start there!  Although I’m moving kinda slow, this class has provided me with (forced upon me?) many new discoveries and giving me a great springboard to dive in from!

Week # 8: Google Hangout+ for Webinar

     I attended a Google+ Hangout for the Webinar assignment.  It was presented by EduOnAir on May 2, 2012 with over 46 presenters on various technology topic.  I hung out with Allison Mollica and listened to her presentation titled “Project Portfolios - A Middle School Social Studies Project”. Click the link to the Hangout and learn more about the project which takes advantage of many Google sites!  Allison Mollica is a technology leader working in the Lebanon School District and is also a Google Apps Certified Trainer. 

      The Hangout  topic was a ‘Project Adopt a Country’ Portfolio project for 8th grade students at Lebanon Junior High School.  This is a year long, student centered, multimedia based project where students integrate Google Apps for Education (GAFE), becoming fluent in the use of many GAFE applications before entering high school.  Students choose a country to ‘adopt’ and do in-depth research based on guidelines provided by the teacher.  This project is technology rich allowing students to choose how they want to share and present their learning (link shows a Culture Collage) using a medi-rich format. Using the Universal Design for Learning, model this project supplements text with audio-visual applications, such as Voki, videos, etc.  This projects also meets many of the NH ICT Literacy Standards and portfolio requirements via this project. 

     Although I didn't actually get IN the Hangout, I was able to watch and comment.  My question to Ms. Mollica was why she choose Google over using a Wiki.  Her response is that Google solved many district problems by providing one stop shopping.  It answered concerns about sharing and privacy and embedding.  Throughout the year, Google documents are the content carry, or storage, for artifacts and then the Google site is the student's showcase.  Google Apps is part of the process and the showcase and it’s all free.  Our district uses Google for email and document sharing.  Ms. Mollica has set up a portfolio template for all teachers K-12 in our district 


     The Adopt a Country Project is pretty close to Project Based Learning.  PBL considers how your project not only impacts YOU, the learner, but how this knowledge can positively impact a wider community.  Many of the students collaborate with their classmates and with students from other classes who are exploring the same country and make their portfolio public (with some restrictions).  I'd like to see where this could go if students connected with other students from the country of study.  Wouldn't that be exciting!

     This Hangout inspires me to want to learn more about how to use Google Apps and integrate these tools into my daily lessons.  I’m very interested in student portfolios and would like to build a portfolio project for my students to do next year on a much smaller scale as I will only have students for 60 days.  I'm hoping to tap into Allison Mollica's knowledge and expertise to get me started with the portfolio template.  Check out this annual Google Apps for Education Maine Summit happening this August.

Week 7: Blog #2 Brian Crosby's Classroom

Passion.  Brian Crosby oozes it from his very  being!  He defines Project Based Learning (PBL) best with his statement about kids needing imagination and creativity to inspire passion.  Passion is what motivates people and students need the opportunity to become 'learning verbs'.

What I like about PBL is the design for students to make broader connections with their leaning and wondering. The importance of considering how their research/project matters and has value beyond the classroom. Thought provoking questions such as why, what if, how, and which can guide students explorations. It allows students to have voice and choice while connecting to to the real world without having a cut and paste project as an end product. 

Ultimately students are learning how to communicate, work in groups, be respectful of others and consider others ideas. Crosby talks about the reflection process along the way and that students learn so much through the process of the project. It is all about being a verb!