Wikipedia - Allow or Ignore?

An article I recently read talked about Wikipedia and letting students use it as a resource. Some people have very strong opinions about this. So, should Wikipedia be used in the classroom? I think so. Is it the end-all-be-all of resources? No. Does it provide some useful information? Yes. But like all information on the Internet, it should be verified by other sources. Before the Internet was invented, people used multiple resources for information. That is no different from today. Today, we just have a different means of access the information.

A Paperless Class

Just read an article about how much teachers rely on paper and pencils and how much is spent on paper at the school I work at… staggering to say the least. I started my MA Ed Tech degree two years ago and will now be graduating in two months. The second class that I took in the program (which I probably should have taken last) scared me death. The class was on campus and the first thing the instructor said was that this is a paperless class. My first thought was, “How can that be? It’s not possible to take a graduate class and never use paper.” My second thought was, “I am so in over my head.”  Well, I quickly learned. Needless to say, I survived the class. I began the 2010-2011 school year teaching a math technology lab. The first thing I told my classes was, “Do not bring your pencil to this class because you will not need them.” At first they were excited, but then you could see the wheels turning in their heads as if to say, “What are we going to write with?” I went on to say , “You don’t need pencils because we are not using paper in here.” At first, it was pure joy on their face…. NO PAPER AND NO PENCILS. And then reality set in. They were scared. How on earth were they going to do math when no paper and pencils were to be used? I then explained to them the layout of the class, the tools that would be used, and some of the things we were going to do. Smiles soon returned to their little faces. And it’s been great!! I can’t tell you how much I enjoy NOT going to the copier.

Two-Step Approach to Technology Integration

I recently read an article in Edutopia on a two-step model for integrating technology into the classroom. It mentions two phases: the Exploratory Phase and the Discovery Phase. The exploratory phase is just that. Students get a chance to explore how a program works. This might take anywhere from ten minutes to several days. This is where formative assessments are completed so teachers can get a feel of what students are comprehending. The Discovery Phases requires students to apply the knowledge they’ve learned. This is more of a standards-based approach where the final project is created with the learning target (GLCE) in mind. This is also where the summative assessments are done.

Collaborative Assessment

Edutopia has an interesting article on Collaborative Assessment:  http://www.edutopia.org/blog/collaborative-assessment-digital-classroom-social-media-tools?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29&utm_content=Google+Reader . The author makes a statement that in today’s society, people need to be able to collaborate and work together in order to solve issues. As educators, we have gotten into the habit of telling our students exactly what they need to do in order to complete a task or assessment. We never leave the parameters open. The author goes on to say that we need to give an outline and let students decide what the parameters will be. If we want students to think outside the box, we have to stop putting them in one.

Authentic Assessments

I’ve been doing a lot of reading on authentic assessments lately. Authentic assessments are performance projects that use a student’s skill, abilities and educational knowledge to demonstrate that comprehension of a concept or process way achieved. These assessments offer teachers an alternative way to assess students instead of paper/pencil.  Here is a video clip on authentic assessment: http://www.edutopia.org/stw-assessment-school-of-the-future-introduction-video?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29&utm_content=Google+Reader. The clip is from the teacher’s perspective rather than the students. I use authentic assessments in class and the students really enjoy them. The students are assessed at their ability level, engaged, and using higher order thinking skills. If you haven’t tried these type of assessments, it’s worth looking into.

Who's the audience for informational writing?

In a recent article in Edutopia, it discussed students’ motivation for writing and the importance of having an audience to write to. In the school where I teach, writing is an overall school goal that we are trying to improve. While our MEAP scores improve every year, we are still not where we should be. Students across all grade levels find writing a monumental task. According to the article, by letting students choose their audience, it gives them a connection and a purpose for writing. We all know that when students can make a real world connection, learning takes place. The question that arises for me is this: “When students are taking the MEAP and they have to compare and contrast the three states of matter,” how do teachers explain to students who their audience is and that they want to hear about this topic…prior to the test?

MACUL Conference

Anyone attending? This is my first time at the conference.  Any do’s or don’ts that you would like to share are more than welcome.

Are you learning from your colleagues?

Edutopia is taking another survey...Do the teachers around you influence your performance? I hope so, both for good reasons and bad. There are teachers that do phenomenal things that I beg, borrow, and steal from whenever I can. Then there are those who you want to be nothing like.  But in each case, you learn from them. I have been part of a PD conference for the past two years called Partnership for Literate Learning (PLL). Basically, it’s employing multiple, different strategies that focus on deeper thinking. Very little prep time is involved, but the students are actively engaged and conversing with one another. It has been very beneficial. We have teachers that participate at all grade levels so when they return to the building, they share their ideas with their grade level colleagues. Some grade levels like one particular strategy while other grade benefits from another strategy. In either case, students are having those in-depth conversations and learning from one another. So are you learning or avoiding?

Is Delicious Shutting Down?

I’ve really come to like and appreciate the Delicious website that I created for this class. I enjoy having all my important sites just a few clicks away, no matter where I go. With that said, I recently heard that Yahoo might be shutting it down. Needless to say, I had to investigate and this is what I found out. Yahoo claims they are not shutting down Delicious, but it doesn’t exactly fit Yahoo’s strategic plan. They believe there is a better fit for it outside the company where it can be appropriately funding and therefore, more competitive. While Yahoo is investigating other options, nothing has been decided. They encourage users to continue using Delicious and will let their supporters know when a deal has been reached. If Yahoo does close Delicious, there are export sties that will transfer your bookmarks.

Assessments can show more than just a grade.

Been doing a lot of reading on formative and summative assessments, so I just thought I’d share ... We are a nation of tests, tests, and more tests. For some teachers, they teach; they assess; they grade, never to speak of that assessment again.  Teachers are tired of giving tests and students are tired of taking them. Yet we continue the process. Why? Because we have to show proof of student learning. Did the student pass? What was the grade? Students, parents, teachers, and administrators all want to see the grades. Those grades are used to rate schools and districts, which translates into funding dollars. Assessments are not going away because there is too much at stake. Maybe if we changed what we did with assessments, we could change how we feel about assessments. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I‘ve heard numerous times that assessment drives instruction. Assessments should be more than just a grade. Assessments should be used to develop instruction and monitor student progress. Do we have time in a day to continually monitor every student? Probably not. But do you have time to do some type of formative assessment a few times a week? Probably so. If we perform formative assessments during the unit and adjust teaching strategies as needed, the scores on the summative assessments shouldn’t be a surprise.

Responsibility in Social Media

In a recent article in Edutopia by Andrew Marcinek, he discusses how we need to teach students the importance of digital citizenship in social media. As students are made available to more forms of technology, it’s imperative that we, as teachers, educate students not only on how to use these devices, but also the responsibilities that come with using such equipment and programs. Case and point … the teenager who posted inappropriate messages on Facebook. In whatever we do, students must realize that actions have consequences. Some consequences are good; some are bad; it all depends on the action. We all need to think about consequences before we act.

Alternative Ways to Standard Multiplication

Just checking out some new videos on Teachertube. Came across this one on multiplication. I’m always looking for new methods to teach fourth graders double digit multiplication. It’s called the Break Apart Box. Here’s a link if you would like to check it out: http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=218713. It looks similar to a method I use called Lattice Multiplication. Lattice is great for kids that struggle with the placement of numbers when learning the standard way of 2-digit multiplication. When you break down the numbers in Lattice, the problem is not so overwhelming. The students are a little more at ease, because they just need to know the basic facts. Lattice helps them to be successful at 2- or 3-digit multiplication.

Should all teachers have technology training?

Edutopia is taking a survey. They would like to know your thoughts on mandatory tech training for all teachers. I, for one, think teachers need some form of technology training, but I’m not saying that districts need to spend money for a trainer. Many districts have qualified “techie’s” on staff. Why not use them as a resource? To pay for a training course would not be beneficial for everyone, particularly for those that know their way around a computer/Internet. If a district used a PD day and invest in their staff, they could use teachers that have Internet know-how as go-to people. This way, districts would save money on trainers, while using their “technology” teachers to educate those with less experience. (I placed technology in quotations because these people may not necessarily teach a technology class but are knowledgeable in the area.) Here’s a link if you would like to weigh in: http://www.edutopia.org/poll-technology-training-required-teachers?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29&utm_content=Google+Reader.

E-learning on Snow Days?

It has been said that three, favorite, winter words of Michigan public school teachers are “blowing and drifting.” As this huge storm locks us in our homes, teachers and students alike are enjoying their day off.  (Personally, I’m working on my podcast assignment.) Some colleagues of mine were talking yesterday about a measure that some Ohio schools were undertaking to avoid being penalized snow days. According to this article,  http://www.mlive.com/opinion/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/02/editorial_why_snow_days_for_sc.html, Ohio schools are allowed three snow/weather days before they are penalized. In Michigan, we are allowed five. To avoid being penalized, some districts in Ohio are employing e-days. This means that during a snow day, districts would offer online learning days. Teachers would prepare, in advance, an assignment/project for students to complete on their snow day. The project would be more of an enrichment/supplemental activity. For students that didn’t complete it on their snow day, they would have two weeks to finish it once they returned to school. Obviously, there are issues to this. What about Internet accessibility? How would states know that districts made their students accountable? What recourse would there be if students didn’t do the assignment? While this issue brings up questions, I think it’s a very viable alternative to snow days. With accessibility of technology everywhere, why not put your assignments online? Personally, it wouldn’t be a big deal to me because my lesson would have to be prepared before the snow day. I could still enjoy my day off. For students, I don’t think they woyuld like it at all. But we all have to do things we don’t like. Right?