Sunday, August 28, 2011
Below is Staff Development
All of the posts below are from a Summer Staff Development. Please see above.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Tool 11
My favorite tools are blogger, Web 2.0 - trading cards and wordles, Easy Tech, and Odyssey. I plan for my students to have an individualized list of interactive websites in Easy Tech. I also hope to create a classroom blog for the students to collaborate and reflect on learning and/or inform parents about what is going on.
The technology devices are critical for me to use in my workstation rotations. I will be working with small groups and while I am working in a small groups, I want the other students to be working on an independent skill or activity for 15-20 minutes. The devices will be critical to this. On the ipad/itouches I will assign apps relevant to the math topic we are working on. On the mini's I will assign interactive websites or Odyssey. The students will also use the devices to work on their Math Menu's which differentiate instruction and provide choice to the learner.
The 11 tools was very challenging for me. However, as I worked through it, I gained more confidence in my technology ability. As with all learning, it takes practice and repetition. If you don't use it, you lose it. So I will be using and reviewing it repeatedly.
The technology devices are critical for me to use in my workstation rotations. I will be working with small groups and while I am working in a small groups, I want the other students to be working on an independent skill or activity for 15-20 minutes. The devices will be critical to this. On the ipad/itouches I will assign apps relevant to the math topic we are working on. On the mini's I will assign interactive websites or Odyssey. The students will also use the devices to work on their Math Menu's which differentiate instruction and provide choice to the learner.
The 11 tools was very challenging for me. However, as I worked through it, I gained more confidence in my technology ability. As with all learning, it takes practice and repetition. If you don't use it, you lose it. So I will be using and reviewing it repeatedly.
Tool 10
I want my students to understand these 3 things about being digital citizens: 1) Treat others as you want to be treated. Don't say anything about anyone that you wouldn't want said about you. The issues of cyberbullying are real and there are serious consequences for those behaviors. 2) It is important to give credit to sources when finding or using information. 3) Everything you do or send on the internet is accessible forever. It can be forwarded to people other than you intended so always be very discerning in what you say online. Already, the 10-11 year olds in our community are forwarding very inappropriate e-mails. One was forwarded to my daughter last week and she showed me. I was amazed at the number of our students on the e-mail forward (and the past forwards). The students need to know how to handle it when they are sent these inappropriate e-mails and NOT to forward these to other people. They need to show their parent and delete it.
2 resources available are Brainpop (my children are watching these this summer on digital citizenship) and Easy Tech has some as well. You can use these in a workstation and discuss as a class.
You can teach the idea of digital citizenship like you do reading. You do it all the time and you use it for everything. You can make connections in all areas of learning on how to be a good digital citizen.
Parents need to be informed about what it means to be a good digital citizen. They can be informed in newsletters and on the class blog about how they can encourage good digital citizenship with their child. There are many videos and links that we can post regarding this. We could do a feature once a month addressing this issue on the grade level or class blog.
2 resources available are Brainpop (my children are watching these this summer on digital citizenship) and Easy Tech has some as well. You can use these in a workstation and discuss as a class.
You can teach the idea of digital citizenship like you do reading. You do it all the time and you use it for everything. You can make connections in all areas of learning on how to be a good digital citizen.
Parents need to be informed about what it means to be a good digital citizen. They can be informed in newsletters and on the class blog about how they can encourage good digital citizenship with their child. There are many videos and links that we can post regarding this. We could do a feature once a month addressing this issue on the grade level or class blog.
Tool 9
It is important to tie technology to the objective because the objective is what is being taught. Technology is a means to get there. We use technology to differentiate instruction and reach all students since all students learn differently.
We should hold students accountable for the stations so we know that they are mastering the objective. They need to know they are accountable to do the work. I usually have my students write a reflection at a workstation to reflect on their learning. I do like Easy Tech. I went to a training last week about how to use Easy Tech as a workstation. You can assign interactive websites on easy tech and have the students go to it from one location in easy tech. You could also have them blog about it or document their reflection in Google Docs.
I visited Interactive and Thinkfinity. I like that these interactive websites have very specific skill sets. I could assign students these websites on their Easy Tech account. This can be differentiated as well because different students need work on different skill sets. I would have the students write a reflection or blog about their experience on the class website (which could be on a web click on the itouch) or in their green spirals. In addition, I could have a workstation log where they log what they did. I have done this before. At the end of the 9 weeks, I could give a participation grade based on their workstation reflections and logs. (This further builds in the accountability piece because they are accountable for the work they did in the station).
I explored several apps on the Ipad. I liked Number Muncher Lite, Flow Math Addition, Factor Factory (0.99) and Mad Math Lite. Alot of these are great for reinforcing math skills. There are many other apps that look great but cost money. I hope we get a budget to download some of these that are relevant to our grade level and subject area. I would have the students use these applications in a workstation. The station would involve the students working on the itouch in an area of the room either collaboratively or individually. They are in the station about 15 minutes working on a particular skill that they need reinforcement with. They are accountable by recording it on their Workstation Log.
Another way to use the Ipad/itouch is for accessing the class webpage like an app using a weblink. I think this idea is really cool and I can't wait to try it. The students can also use the Ipad/itouch when they work on their Math Menu's. The menus provide choice of activities and they can use the ipad/itouch to accomplish some of these activities and/or do research for the activities.
We should hold students accountable for the stations so we know that they are mastering the objective. They need to know they are accountable to do the work. I usually have my students write a reflection at a workstation to reflect on their learning. I do like Easy Tech. I went to a training last week about how to use Easy Tech as a workstation. You can assign interactive websites on easy tech and have the students go to it from one location in easy tech. You could also have them blog about it or document their reflection in Google Docs.
I visited Interactive and Thinkfinity. I like that these interactive websites have very specific skill sets. I could assign students these websites on their Easy Tech account. This can be differentiated as well because different students need work on different skill sets. I would have the students write a reflection or blog about their experience on the class website (which could be on a web click on the itouch) or in their green spirals. In addition, I could have a workstation log where they log what they did. I have done this before. At the end of the 9 weeks, I could give a participation grade based on their workstation reflections and logs. (This further builds in the accountability piece because they are accountable for the work they did in the station).
I explored several apps on the Ipad. I liked Number Muncher Lite, Flow Math Addition, Factor Factory (0.99) and Mad Math Lite. Alot of these are great for reinforcing math skills. There are many other apps that look great but cost money. I hope we get a budget to download some of these that are relevant to our grade level and subject area. I would have the students use these applications in a workstation. The station would involve the students working on the itouch in an area of the room either collaboratively or individually. They are in the station about 15 minutes working on a particular skill that they need reinforcement with. They are accountable by recording it on their Workstation Log.
Another way to use the Ipad/itouch is for accessing the class webpage like an app using a weblink. I think this idea is really cool and I can't wait to try it. The students can also use the Ipad/itouch when they work on their Math Menu's. The menus provide choice of activities and they can use the ipad/itouch to accomplish some of these activities and/or do research for the activities.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Reflection on Tool 8
One thing I learned about the netbook is that each netbook has a projector connection port so you can hook it to a projector. In addition, I learned that we should download content to the teacher laptop so all the devices can by synced from the same computer. Each device will need a unique name (N16 A, N16 B, ect.....) and the devices will need to be labeled accordingly.
I also learned that the itouch and ipad has 11 home screens to add apps to. In addition, you can create a web link (for something such as a classroom web page) and it will show up like any other app on the home screen. Too Cool!
I have a technology manager in my classroom so they will be in charge of managing the devices each day. I have 5 workstation groups and they rotate between them. Before we start the workstations, I will be demonstrating, practicing and stating the expectations of using the devices in the stations. There will be ALOT of modeling and showing how to be accountable for their work.
At this point, I don't have any ideas or suggestions that others may find useful. Once I implement it, then I will be able to better know what works best so I can share it.
I also learned that the itouch and ipad has 11 home screens to add apps to. In addition, you can create a web link (for something such as a classroom web page) and it will show up like any other app on the home screen. Too Cool!
I have a technology manager in my classroom so they will be in charge of managing the devices each day. I have 5 workstation groups and they rotate between them. Before we start the workstations, I will be demonstrating, practicing and stating the expectations of using the devices in the stations. There will be ALOT of modeling and showing how to be accountable for their work.
At this point, I don't have any ideas or suggestions that others may find useful. Once I implement it, then I will be able to better know what works best so I can share it.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Tool 7 Reaching Outside your Classroom - Online Digital Projects
TLW conduct a Science Experiment to investigate what causes a pot of water to boil. They will record the boiling point, room temperature, elevation, volume of water and heating device.
I plan to implement this mid way through the year.
The students can use skype to collaborate with other classrooms. They also submit their posts to the project website and the results will be posted in a database for all participants to examine.
Then, students will graph and analyze the data to determine which factor has the greatest correlation to boiling point. During the project, students can discuss their questions, findings, and theories with other particpants. Students' final reports will be posted on the project website.(http://mathforum.org/class2class/view.taco?class_id=28)
I plan to implement this mid way through the year.
The students can use skype to collaborate with other classrooms. They also submit their posts to the project website and the results will be posted in a database for all participants to examine.
Then, students will graph and analyze the data to determine which factor has the greatest correlation to boiling point. During the project, students can discuss their questions, findings, and theories with other particpants. Students' final reports will be posted on the project website.(http://mathforum.org/class2class/view.taco?class_id=28)
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