Learning Summary

When I first started Fundamentals of Technology for Educators, I didn’t think I would learn much that I did not already know in this course. I have a lot of experience with technology and use new technology in my job on a regular basis.
But I was happy to find that I learned so much in this course, especially new ways to use technology that I was already familiar with.

I am exited about using blogs and wikis with my students and this course has taught me ways to incorporate them in to the lessons I teach them in the library. In this technology age, I think it is important for students to learn how to be responsible with digital information. I have learned great ways to teach them the value of technology in learning and how it can make learning really fun.

As for myself, increasing my knowledge of services like Blogger and Diigo, and learning new ones like Prezi, has inspired me. I have already scheduled a date in January to have an in-service day for our teachers and teach them some of the great tools I have used in this course.

Finally, this course has taught me not to think that I already know everything I need to know about technology. There is always some new way to use technology.

A Book Talk Project

Here's the link to my Final Project.

http://pageternerwiki.wikispaces.com/

A Digital Storytelling Rubric

I have been on the student end of using rubrics many, many times. I usually like having a rubric because it tells exactly what is expected from your assignment. It is helpful from student to read the rubric before they start creating their project and then again after they complete it, so they can be sure they didn't miss anything. I thought creating my own was going to be relatively easy, but I did have a few bumps in the road.

I actually created two rubrics for this assignment. One follows the the instructions concerning the number of scoring categories we had to have, the content items and the grading scale. This rubric is an expanded version of the rubric I would use when I actually use this assignment. I only intended the Book Talk videos to be 3-5 minutes long and count for 10 points. Since the Book Talk project is really intended to promote books to fellow students, I do not want it to become a large project that takes weeks to complete.

Creating the basic rubric was easier once I made a list of items I wanted included in the Book Talk. This gave me the content criteria. In order to meet the requirements for our class, I expanded the required elements in 3 categories from 3 items to 5 items and my final category is the appearance of the project.

I am including both rubrics and would welcome comments on either or both examples. I can see the benefits of having a more detailed rubric for a larger more detailed project but for my little projects; I think the 10 point rubric would be just fine.

Book Talk Rubric - 10 Pts





Book Talk Rubric - 100pts

A Simple Book Talk

I really enjoyed creating the storyboards for my digital storytelling example. It gave me hands on experience with what my students are going to aim to create. I am excited to turn my storyboards into an actual Book Talk that can be shown in the library.

I did have a couple concerns as I put it together. I am trying to keep it pretty simple, so students with different levels of technology experience can still participate. The students with more technology skills can use those skills to add different effects to their project. I, also, want the students to promote the book they choose without giving the whole story away. Part of accomplishing that, will be my lesson on giving your audience a small piece of the story that captures their imagination and makes them want to read the book. My concern is I am making it to simple in an effort to not give the story away.

My other concern is the student video portion of the Book Talk. I have designed it so the video and student created visuals will alternate to some degree but I wonder if it will just come across as choppy instead of a smooth presentation.

I would love anyone's comments about these issues.

Creating a Curriculum Page

I have used Wikispaces before, so I wasn't worried about the technical piece of this week's assignment to create a curriculum page. But having never created this type of page before, I wasn't sure where to start. I looked at the links that were provided and came up with an outline of what I wanted to include about the Digital Storytelling Book Talk project. This included the basic instructions of the project, some links to websites that would help my students if they got stuck and what I planned to do with the finished projects. Even though I felt I was just starting with the basics, it still took me a good amount of time to create the home page and the three information pages that link back to the home page. As I worked on my wiki, I started making a list of what kinds of things I would add to this curriculum page. I realized that this would be a great tool to use for my Student Book Club. I would use it to have a Main Page that listed the books we are reading and have sub pages dedicated to each book. On these sub-pages, we could provide information about the author, a short summary of the book, and additional information the club would want potential readers to know. From there, I could create a link to our Book Club wiki from the Media Center's website for everyone to access. I am looking forward to continuing to improve my wiki and find other ways to use it in the Media Center.

If you would like to see how I am doing so far, please check out my wiki on creating Book Talks.

Thanks.
PageT

Digital Storytelling Project

I would love to use digital storytelling with my 4^th and 5^th grade students to promote books in the Media Center. I would work on this project in conjunction with their Reading and Language Arts teachers, who would give them a grade for the project.

The project would have the students using digital storytelling to promote a book they have read. After deciding on a book they would want to share with their classmates, they would have to create a script that included a little about the main characters, the basic plot of the book (without giving the whole story away), the genre the book falls under and the reasons they would recommend the book to their friends. To encourage the use of additional media, the students would use iMovie to turn their script into a video presentation. They would also be required to use drawings or clip art in the project to create a scene from the book that would help to promote their book. After the projects are finished and graded, they would be played in the Media Center on an ongoing basis to promote the books the students chose.

Before beginning the project, I would have my students look at some examples of Book Talks online – both print & mixed media types. We would also review sites on good writing practices and the proper way to credit your resources. Finally, we would view tutorials on creating iMovies.

I would also create a book talk video of my own to encourage the students in expressing their opinions and showing them how to provide support for their choice.

Digital Storytelling in the Media Center

This week we had to create a presentation about how we might use Digital Storytelling to benefit our students. I have had an idea for a while to have my students create Book Talks that I can show on the television that is mounted in the Media Center.  I think this is a good project because it not only encourages my students to read; it requires them to practice their writing and public speaking skills.

I decided to try out Prezi since I am a long time PowerPoint user. I found it very user friendly. I watched the three short videos provided on the Prezi site and they gave me all the basic tools I needed to create my first presentation. I added the text to represent my ideas, inserted some graphics and even framed some of my text and pictures. I decided to include a video that would represent the type of project my students might turn in and it was as easy as cutting and pasting. Finally, I chose the path the presentation would take and what information my viewer would see and in what order. 

I look forward to teaching my fellow faculty members and my students this user-friendly presentation software.

Digital Storytelling in the Media Center

Using Digital Storytelling in the Media Center on Prezi

Online Profiles - A New View

Before I became a Media Specialist, my online profile was minimal. I didn’t want to “tweet” and I did not want to be anyone’s “friend” on Facebook. Anytime a friend would tell me about a new website where I could check to see what information was out on the web about me, I was happy when only the most basic information appeared.

I still don’t want my personal information available to just anyone but I am seeing the benefits of creating an online presence.  After joining Twitter, I found I didn’t have to read every comment made and that I could “follow” the postings of other Librarians and technology savvy people.  In completing the “About Me” assignment, I also found that I can choose what I want to post and it can be a great tool to encourage my students to read by including comments on the books I have read, upcoming library events, and reading strategies for parents.

Now that I have added to my online profile for this class, I have come up with many ideas for my Media Center website including links to my favorite award winning books, a quote of the day from the students’ favorite authors and comprehension questions for the Battle of the Books competition we have within our district.

Even though this assignment has given me a different view about having an online profile, I want that profile to reflect my professional outlook and views, not my personal information. As I work on building my online profile, I am going to continue to stay away from Facebook.

Excel-ling at Spreadsheets

I am a lucky student this week. Working with an Excel spreadsheet is second nature to me. I have been using Excel for over ten years and by now it comes naturally to me. It is a great tool to use for many reasons. Besides the obvious tracking of data, I really like the fact that you can take the data you are using and create different charts and graphs that make it easier for others to interpret the data you are tracking.  Although “it is important to pick the chart type that provides the best visualization for your data.” (Gunter, 149) Having the added benefit of using a 3D style chart can add a professional look to your presentations.

This week’s assignment in Excel, showed a perfect way to track a student’s grade, permission slips and average grades. Using a program that can do the work of averaging student grades for you makes a teacher’s job a little easier. It is a useful program for creating classroom forms such as reading logs or classroom jobs.  The things that can be created in Excel is only limited by what we can dream up.

Stacy Anderson

References

Shelly, G.B., Gunter, G.A., Gunter, R. (2010). Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. Boston, MA. Course Technology, Cengage Learning.
Shelly, G.B., Gunter, G.A., Gunter, R. (2010). Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. Boston, MA. Course Technology, Cengage Learning. G.B., Gunter, G.A., Gunter, R. (2010). Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. Boston, MA. Course Technology, Cengage Learning.

Shelly, G.B., Gunter, G.A., Gunter, R. (2010). Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. Boston, MA. Course Technology, Cengage Learning.

To Be or Not To Be? - Should Schools Allow Teachers to Use Web Tools Without Restriction?

Is it more unethical to allow threats to students/schools or to deny students/teachers access to instructionally relevant Web-based tools and content?

Why does it have to be one or the other? As a teacher, I have been asked a thousand times –“When are we ever going to use algebra (or poetry or science) in real life?” Students have a hard time relating what they are learning to actual use later in life. So, in my opinion, one of the most important things we can do as educators is show them the correlation between their lessons and their careers in the work world. Since technology is used everyday by almost everyone in every industry, community and household, shouldn’t it follow that we should teach our students how to use the technology to learn, as well as protect themselves from those who use it for personal gain?

First they need to learn about protecting themselves from internet predators. Web sites like Student Internet Safety (click here) can be used by teachers to show students what to watch for and how to protect their personal information. Another lesson should include the right way to search to provide the best results for your topic.  A site like Noodle Tools provides great tips to share with your students. (click here) Additionally, the students need to learn to be cautious about what types of incoming information they should accept and what they should decline.  Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom (Gunter) suggests using reliable antivirus software, scanning all attachments before opening and never starting your computer with removable media in the drives.

The list of possible resources could go on for pages but the overall message is to teach our students the right way to use the web based tools and content and then schools would not have to choose what to allow in the classroom. By following this plan our students would connected to many valuable lessons and real life scenarios without exposing themselves to danger.

Stacy Anderson

Resources

Noodle Tools. (2010). Choose the Best Search for Your Information Need. Retrieved on September 20, 2010 from http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html

Shelly, G.B., Gunter, G.A., Gunter, R. (2010). Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. Boston, MA. Course Technology, Cengage Learning.

Unknown Author. (2010). Student Internet Safety. Retrieved on September 22, 2010 from www.studentinternetsafety.com

Teaching Students About Networking & Connectivity

In the YouTube video, “The Networked Student”, the creator shows us how using all different types of technology can help students learn. I think these resources can help students learn but they need to be taught about the resources available to them and how use them from an educational point of view.

Many students think Twitter and Facebook are all about socializing with their friends and teachers need to show them how these sites can help them learn. As a new Twitter user myself, I thought it was all about people, who had nothing better to do, then post about what they had for breakfast or where they were shopping that day. But then, I got a job as an elementary school media specialist and the other media specialists showed me how useful it can be. I follow a group of media specialists and they post wonderful things such as great books reviews, lessons on starting discussion groups about different books, online resources that have been particularly helpful and many, many websites that offer all different kinds of information that I can pass on to my students. With technology so much of the future, it is important that our students can find the resources they need and that they learn how to tell which resources are valid and which are just for fun.

Another reason it is import for students to learn about all the online resources is how fast things change in today’s world. How often do you see a resource book and find the information in it is already out of date – even when it is only a few months old. Learning to use online resources and using them to connect yourself with others is the best way to stay on top of the most up to date information available.

Thanks.

Stacy A

Drexler, W. (n.d.). The Networked Student. YouTube.                                   

Gunter, Glenda. (2010) Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. (6^th Ed.) Boston MA.  Course Technology.

Using the Web for Educator Resources

There are so many things you can learn about using the Internet. The only thing educators need to do to effectively use this resource is to have time; time to search all the resources available. Because time is tough to come by, it is very useful when you can find websites that compile information for you.  Some of the sites that offer a compiled list of resources are discussed below.

EduHound  and emTech offer a large range of sites that would be appealing to teachers because of the large number of topics. The topics that I would pass on to my teachers include Geography and Language Arts. The Geography sites include National Geographic Map Machine and USGS: Our Changing Planet. Both of these sites would offer excellent teaching tools for educators including interactive maps. The Language Arts site that excites me is the Blue Book of Grammar & Punctuation. I think students are not taught enough about these skills and this site is a resource that would be very useful.

Our state Department of Education site offers a lot of information that is complied in one place. As a Media Specialist, I rely on the DOE site to find the state standards for library skills, professional development information and what books students voted for in the Sunshine State Young Readers’ Awards. All of this information allows me to do my job efficiently and I can find what I need in one place.

I wish I had more time to just randomly “surf the web” to find great resources. Since this is not possible, using my search terms and keyword to find other sites that have compiled the information I need save me time yet allows me to find great educational site.

Stacy Anderson

Are Teachers Taking the Convenient Way to Teach Our Kids?

Reading Reaction #1

Fisch and McLeod’s video " Did You Know" is a statement about how we have moved to a technological society. But are our teachers supporting this new society and using these new resources to enhance how kids learn? I think in many cases the answer is no. Many of our teachers are sticking with the ways they have always taught because it is easier for them.

As the new Media Specialist in a K-6 elementary school, I have observed some interesting things in the last three weeks since we started back to school. First, let me say, I think our district is a big proponent of technology in the schools. We have had a school board and superintendent who encouraged the use of technology, budgeted for it in our schools, created positions at a district level to provide technology curriculum support and trained at least one teacher per grade level to provide additional technology support. We have projectors and smart boards in every room, as well as a Mac laptop carts – one per every three teachers. There are workshops through out the school year and the district office covers the cost of a substitute for the teachers who attend.  

So the opportunity and tools are available for the teachers but still this past week I had ten teachers come to the Media Center to check out the old desktop overhead projectors. The scary thing is, we had twenty-five overhead projectors available for check out. In many cases, the teachers want to use what they know. They don’t want to worry about the learning curve for a new piece of equipment when they are being required to change how they plan lessons, ensure a certain percentage of growth out of all their students and handle even more discipline issues as the administrative dean positions are cut due to tight budgets.

Some teachers choose only to use technology as an incentive or reward for good behavior. The students may read an ebook on an iPad, or an iPod if they show excellent behavior and attitude. Unfortunately, the convenience of using what they know is a disservice to the students.

The teachers who do put in the extra time have shown improved student progress with the use of technology in their classrooms.  I can provide personal testimony to support this claim in the classroom of my son’s first grade teacher. His class used several different technologies to support their classroom learning. From the beginning of the year, they used online reading activities to enhance the reading work they did in the classroom. Student who were struggling readers were able to use the iPod to read a story with audio back up. This audio back up was recorded and downloaded to the device by the advanced readers in the class.

Finally, the first graders in my son’s class were required to research an ocean animal and create an iMovie about the animal. They researched the animal, created a script, which they recorded to the computer. Then they downloaded images of the animal and music to use for a soundtrack. Using iMovie, they took the video of themselves and added pictures and background music, as well as a starting sequence with a menu. It was a time commitment from the teacher, because the whole project took about three weeks to complete – working on it about 30 minutes a day. The pay off was worth it. Two first graders in the class won awards at the district’s Digital Media Awards and every child in the class got a high score on the SAT 10 test given in first grade.

With the way technology is changing and growing everyday, do our teachers think the status quo is enough to help our meet the challenges they will face in the 21^st century world?  Our kids will learn to use the technology whether our teachers use it in the classroom or not, but would we rather they use it to become great critical thinkers or to get the highest score on HALO 3 to beat all their friends?

Blog & Hoot Course Linked!

I just set up by blog and linked it with Hoot Course. It was easier then I thought it was going to be.

My Blog

I have created my blog for EME 5050.