We’re all using Google. I suspect many of us have been
Googling for years. What’s changed
is the shift from “a medium in which information is transmitted and consumed
into being a platform in which content is created, shared, remixed, repurposed,
and passed along”. This
open-source movement, created by a community of people, allows people to work
together collaboratively and in an evolutionary way. At my school we use Gmail accounts, share documents, and
use/share calendars. Students have
school email accounts, which allows them to work anywhere on their documents,
instant message for collaboration, and auto save. Very few teachers have ventured beyond this, but those that
have are doing some amazing things. Check out Stephanie Karabaic, the reading teacher
who individualizes each students reading program on-line and Liam Coyle’s 8th
grade Adopt a Country project.
Another great Google source discovered in web 2.0: new tools, new schools by Gwen Solomon and Lynne Schrum is Google for Educators. This offers ideas for
lessons, how to use 2.0 tools, and student resources.
I’m interested in exploring Moodle as a way to manage and organize
my new class for next year, or maybe it’s more than I need. I really like the
wiki format of this class and will need to explore how the two can work
together and what I can realistically manage. In addition to 7th
grade, I will also be teaching fifth grade students which will present
different levels of digital savvy.
The text mentions a site called Whyville for younger learners. It’s worth checking out.
I'm also checking out Moodle for our school, so I'm curious as to how it works out for you. I'm installed it locally but now I have to do something with it! I agree that the wiki nature of this class is pretty nice, I can see a lot of possibilities with its design, but I'm not sure of the parallels or contrasts to Moodle. Good luck with your Moodle explorations!
ReplyDeleteI like the Google for Educators site too. Another source you may find helpful is from Kathy Schrock http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/?campaign=DE&CFID=1090071&CFTOKEN=77676139 She connects tech lessons/activities/projects to Bloom's taxonomy which I find helpful.
ReplyDeleteGoogle Docs has been a great FREE resource that myself and our teachers have been using to collaborate on things such as textbook inventories, supplies for the classroom and computer software. There are lots of great open source tools for use, and the state of NH is pushing for use of open source tools, http://www.nhliberty.org/bills/view/2012/HB418, before making purchases. I am curious about how much if a difference there will be between a fifth grader's technology savvy to a seventh grader.
ReplyDeleteI was exposed to Google pretty heavily during undergrad to the point where I began to take it for granted but now I'm in public education, I'm starting to see just how powerful it really is. Although I'm not in a position where I can, for example, assign homework, I can see awesome application of Google Docs surveys etc. Computer classes are often electives especially in late middle school and into high school and kids often (at least from my experience) sign up for them for the mere fact that there is no homework. Now we're seeing tools like Google, I'm thinking that there may be a shift in the way computer tech classes are run...
ReplyDeleteMoodle is a great content management site where you can post assignments for your students. So it can "house" information well. It also has functions where students can journal particular questions you post and they write directly into their moodle journal. It is only seen by you and the student, and can be graded on moodle directly for immediate feedback with comments. Moodle has a forum section where you can pose discussion questions and all students in the class can then comment on each others posts. Again, moodle can be set to be open or closed. I enjoy using moodle to house information but it is not as collaborative as a wiki would be or a blog.
ReplyDelete