Sunday, November 10, 2013
Blog Post #12
Ken Robinson starts off this video Changing Education Paradigms by describing education and the process of how it has changed throughout the centuries. He states that everyone, everywhere is trying to reform the public education system. Education is either economic, trying to teach kids in a way that they will find their way in the economy of the 21st century, or education is cultural; education that gives children a sense of cultural identity while encouraging the process of globalization. The problem is that we are trying to meet our future goals while doing exactly what was done in the past. This process alienates children who don’t see the purpose in school. This is becoming more common since it isn’t really necessary to have a college degree to get a good job anymore. Robinson says that the problem with the public education systems is that they are still designed for a different age of time. We need to raise the standards. Children are classified as “smart” or “not smart” based on their academic ability and this causes many brilliant people to believe they are not smart. Mr. Robinson then goes on to explain the chaos of the fictitious epidemic of ADHD. It is the modern plague he states. However, it is not really an epidemic. He states that children are too routinely medicated for ADHD. These children live in the most stimulating century, and they are being punished for their interest in the modern technology such as cell phones, computers, tv, etc, because it is distracting them for the boring aspect of school. The ADHD “epidemic” has been growing parallel with the importance on standardized testing. Robinson also states that it is shown that the further east you go through the country, the more the children are medicated to stay focused. The main victims of this epidemic are the students of the arts. Art requires aesthetic thinking, when the senses peak, but education is becoming more anaesthetic. This shuts off the sense and deadens the self to what is happening. Education is still modeled on the interests of industrialization. The schools are organized factory lines; ringing bells, separate facilities, and divided subjects. They are also dividing the kids into batches based on age. Robinson makes a great point, who is to say that age is the best way to divide these children? What about how the perform based on time of day, small groups or large groups, individually. Education is conformed to standardization, and we need to be going the opposite direction. This is what Robinson means by changing paradigm. The last thing he talks about is divergent thinking. Divergent thinking is essential to creativity. Children learn to see many different answers to the questions, and a lot of different ways to interpret the question. Divergent thinking teaches children to not think laterally. When kindergarteners were tested on their divergent thinking ability, 98% of them tested in the genus level. This number drops as children get older, thanks to the standardized way of teaching and testing. Children are taught their whole school lives that there is one answer to a question, it’s in the back of the book, but it is not okay to look at it, copy it, or talk about it. This is cheating in school. Outside of school, this would be known as collaboration. This is the direction we need to be taking our classrooms. As Robinson lastly states… “Most great learning happens in groups.”
In Mr. Robinson’s video he explains how students are not being allowed to be creative anymore. Students should have the opportunity to express themselves in the classroom without being ridiculed for failing at what they tried. He also says that creatively in education is as important as it is in literacy. Education is what will lead our children into this uncertain future that we sometimes are unable to grasp. In the video Ken says that “No one has a clue where education will take us in the next 5 years,” which is very true. However, being able to use our creativity can enhance the places we are trying to go. Mr. Robinson believes that kids will take a chance in whatever they do without being afraid of the outcome. Society is causing our students to lose their ability to be creative by placing so much emphasis on how well they succeed at attempting to be creative or do things correctly. One of Ken’s famous quotes is “I believe this passionately that we don’t grow into creativity; we grow out of it.” He firmly believes that students are born with creativity. Ken wants our society to live by Picaso’s quote which states that “All children are born as artist; the problem is to remain an artist when you grow up.” Ken also said something that I found very interesting. He said, if you’re not prepared to be wrong you’ll never come up with anything original. Students lose their excitement for being adventurous and when they reach the adult stage because they are scared to be wrong. Watch Ken Robinson explain How Schools Kill Creativity
After watching Ted Talk by Sir Ken Robinson, I learned that as a future educator that I should be concerned with educating the whole being of the students. The only way for this to be done is to control the climate of our classrooms by engaging the student’s curiosity, individuality and creativity. We should not just sit back and work off of the commands of conformity and predicated academic ability. According to Sir Ken Robinson, Death Valley was a hot and dry place where nothing grew until the climate was controlled. He also said that Death Valley was dormant until someone took the time to cultivate it. I think that Sir Ken was trying to tell us that in order for our students to flourish in all areas of their lives that we as educators need to give them the necessary tools to stimulate their whole being. Sir Ken also demanded us to stop leading students to believe that it is wrong to make a mistake and to instead help them to become original and prepared to make mistakes. The thought intended here is that learning takes place once the mistake is corrected.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
C4K Summary; October
October 13
This week, I was assigned to Paige's blog A Unique Perspective on the Past, Present, and Future. She is a high-school senior. Her blog was about politics.
"This has been the first full month of AP United States Government & Politics, and our class has already covered topics ranging from the Constitution and Declaration of Independence to the conflict in Syria. One of my favorite parts of this class so far is being able learn about the political ideas and institutions that this country was founded on, how those institutions and ideas have changed over time, and how the politics of today will shape the life of tomorrow.
Before anyone can dive into current political issues, they need to have a firm understanding of the Constitution because it sets up our government and provides laws and rights. In Unit 1, we covered the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and Federalism as well as several famous court cases such as McCulloch vs. Maryland, Gibbons vs. Ogden, etc. All of these topics and court cases were touched upon in my AP United States History class last year, but this time I was able to take my understanding deeper and more closely evaluate elements of each topic. Understanding the purpose and the significance of documents such as the Constitution and Declaration of Independence is essential because they are the basis of American government; therefore, politics today always relate back to them. Being able to read different articles, watch a variety of videos, and post in discussion boards with my classmates allowed me to gain a greater perspective and understanding of the Constitution and how it is still used today.
I love classes that incorporate current events because it is extremely important to remain informed on what is going on in the country and in the world at the moment, and to learn about how those events relate to our lives and to our country’s current political climate. One of the very first assignments in AP US Government was to evaluate the situation in Syria regarding the United States’ involvement and to use our evaluation to form our opinion of who chooses to go to war in a democracy. The government’s response to Hurricane Katrina was also a topic of discussion during Unit 1, and even though the hurricane took place several years ago it was interesting to watch videos covering the damage and response as well as to hear what my classmates thought about the topic. Staying updated on current political news is an essential part of this class because it encourages myself and my classmates to broaden our perspectives and grow to be more aware of the events taking place around us.
As a high school senior, I am constantly looking ahead to the future in terms of finding the right college, choosing the best career path for me, and learning new things along the way. AP Government helps me look to the future by stretching my mind to think about possible new laws and policies that would more thoroughly protect certain rights, to consider how the needs of minorities and other groups may change over time, and to think of how the gap between these groups and other Americans can be bridged so that there is no discrepancy of rights among them. AP Government has helped me tremendously to look towards the political future of America creatively as well as critically.
Even in just the first month of class, I have realized that developing a well-rounded understanding and perspective of the political past, present, and future of the United States is definitely a goal that I plan to work on in AP US Government & Politics this year, and working towards this goal will help me inside and outside of class. I plan on majoring in political science in college and to ultimately become a lawyer, and developing a well-rounded perspective on past, present, and future politics before I leave high school will help me achieve my career goals."
My Comment
Hi! My name is Emma Boren, I am a student at the University of South Alabama and I am currently enrolled in EDM 310. Your blog post was very well written! It looks like you are on the right path. You seem very interested in your education, and I am certain that this will help you in your future. You opened my eyes as to how important it really is to know about our countries history, as well as how important it is to be up to date with what it happening now. Good luck with your future college endeavors, it seems like you will do great!! Here is a link to my blog, feel free to visit it! http://borenemmaedm310.blogspot.com/"
October 20
This week, I was assigned to comment on Bryan's blog, Science Blog.
"I learned how to do the flash cards.It was a fun experience doing the flash cards.I learn a lot from the flash cards.It was my first time doing the flash cards. I enjoy doing them.I think doing the flash cards was a interesting thing to do.I think projects makes science fun and a great subject to be in.You can learn a lot in science if you play attention in class.The funnest project is the flash cards.I think this is going to be the best year in science that I will have.I am looking forward for lots of fun projects this year in science.
My Comment
Hi Bryan! My name is Emma Boren, and I am currently a student at the University of South Alabama enrolled in a class called EDM 310. I have to have a blog like you do. I think you did a pretty good job with your blog! Notecards are very effective to me too. I am glad you are excited about your science class this year, that is a great attitude to have! Keep up the good work. Feel free to visit my blog anytime you want My Blog
October 27
This week I commented on Reety's blog; My Hero is my Mom.
"To me a hero is a person who is right beside you for a rescue. My hero is my mom. She saves me all the time. She is the best hero you could ever have. She always save’s me from bad trouble. When my brother hits me she says “no honey, that is not right for you to do to your best and biggest sister.” And when something is hard for me to do she help’s me out. When something is wrong and my face is up side down she fixes it and hides my frown away. When she sees some one bullying me she came over and said, “She is a hero because she always is right beside me for a rescue and make’s me feel safe all the time . Now you see she is the best hero you and I could ever have. I will never change my choice never ever. She is wonderful she is great she is my hero see she is my awesome hero now she is the best hero ever in the hole wide world. I love her so much. You can never ever have a hero like my hero. She is the best hero ever."
My Comment
My comment has not been approved yet, but I believe I told Reety that my hero is my mom too! She is always there for me no matter what, and there is no better hero to have!
November 3
This week, I commented on Harley H.'s blog; Jack-o-lantern.
"Do you like carving jack – o lantern or pumpkins if you do let me tell you some things why I like carving pumpkins.i like carving pumpkins because if your parents let you you can stick your hand and get all of the . How to make a jack -o lantern first you get a pumpkin than draw a face on it and then cut it out with a carving knife and than on Halloween put a candle in it."
My Comment
Hey Harley! My name is Emma Boren, I am a student in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama. I always loved carving pumpkins when I was a kid! I liked to pick out all the gooey insides and the seeds. Then, I liked to pick out a face to carve in it and light it on Halloween. It was a lot of fun, and I am glad you enjoy it too!
This week, I was assigned to Paige's blog A Unique Perspective on the Past, Present, and Future. She is a high-school senior. Her blog was about politics.
"This has been the first full month of AP United States Government & Politics, and our class has already covered topics ranging from the Constitution and Declaration of Independence to the conflict in Syria. One of my favorite parts of this class so far is being able learn about the political ideas and institutions that this country was founded on, how those institutions and ideas have changed over time, and how the politics of today will shape the life of tomorrow.
Before anyone can dive into current political issues, they need to have a firm understanding of the Constitution because it sets up our government and provides laws and rights. In Unit 1, we covered the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and Federalism as well as several famous court cases such as McCulloch vs. Maryland, Gibbons vs. Ogden, etc. All of these topics and court cases were touched upon in my AP United States History class last year, but this time I was able to take my understanding deeper and more closely evaluate elements of each topic. Understanding the purpose and the significance of documents such as the Constitution and Declaration of Independence is essential because they are the basis of American government; therefore, politics today always relate back to them. Being able to read different articles, watch a variety of videos, and post in discussion boards with my classmates allowed me to gain a greater perspective and understanding of the Constitution and how it is still used today.
I love classes that incorporate current events because it is extremely important to remain informed on what is going on in the country and in the world at the moment, and to learn about how those events relate to our lives and to our country’s current political climate. One of the very first assignments in AP US Government was to evaluate the situation in Syria regarding the United States’ involvement and to use our evaluation to form our opinion of who chooses to go to war in a democracy. The government’s response to Hurricane Katrina was also a topic of discussion during Unit 1, and even though the hurricane took place several years ago it was interesting to watch videos covering the damage and response as well as to hear what my classmates thought about the topic. Staying updated on current political news is an essential part of this class because it encourages myself and my classmates to broaden our perspectives and grow to be more aware of the events taking place around us.
As a high school senior, I am constantly looking ahead to the future in terms of finding the right college, choosing the best career path for me, and learning new things along the way. AP Government helps me look to the future by stretching my mind to think about possible new laws and policies that would more thoroughly protect certain rights, to consider how the needs of minorities and other groups may change over time, and to think of how the gap between these groups and other Americans can be bridged so that there is no discrepancy of rights among them. AP Government has helped me tremendously to look towards the political future of America creatively as well as critically.
Even in just the first month of class, I have realized that developing a well-rounded understanding and perspective of the political past, present, and future of the United States is definitely a goal that I plan to work on in AP US Government & Politics this year, and working towards this goal will help me inside and outside of class. I plan on majoring in political science in college and to ultimately become a lawyer, and developing a well-rounded perspective on past, present, and future politics before I leave high school will help me achieve my career goals."
My Comment
Hi! My name is Emma Boren, I am a student at the University of South Alabama and I am currently enrolled in EDM 310. Your blog post was very well written! It looks like you are on the right path. You seem very interested in your education, and I am certain that this will help you in your future. You opened my eyes as to how important it really is to know about our countries history, as well as how important it is to be up to date with what it happening now. Good luck with your future college endeavors, it seems like you will do great!! Here is a link to my blog, feel free to visit it! http://borenemmaedm310.blogspot.com/"
October 20
This week, I was assigned to comment on Bryan's blog, Science Blog.
"I learned how to do the flash cards.It was a fun experience doing the flash cards.I learn a lot from the flash cards.It was my first time doing the flash cards. I enjoy doing them.I think doing the flash cards was a interesting thing to do.I think projects makes science fun and a great subject to be in.You can learn a lot in science if you play attention in class.The funnest project is the flash cards.I think this is going to be the best year in science that I will have.I am looking forward for lots of fun projects this year in science.
My Comment
Hi Bryan! My name is Emma Boren, and I am currently a student at the University of South Alabama enrolled in a class called EDM 310. I have to have a blog like you do. I think you did a pretty good job with your blog! Notecards are very effective to me too. I am glad you are excited about your science class this year, that is a great attitude to have! Keep up the good work. Feel free to visit my blog anytime you want My Blog
October 27
This week I commented on Reety's blog; My Hero is my Mom.
"To me a hero is a person who is right beside you for a rescue. My hero is my mom. She saves me all the time. She is the best hero you could ever have. She always save’s me from bad trouble. When my brother hits me she says “no honey, that is not right for you to do to your best and biggest sister.” And when something is hard for me to do she help’s me out. When something is wrong and my face is up side down she fixes it and hides my frown away. When she sees some one bullying me she came over and said, “She is a hero because she always is right beside me for a rescue and make’s me feel safe all the time . Now you see she is the best hero you and I could ever have. I will never change my choice never ever. She is wonderful she is great she is my hero see she is my awesome hero now she is the best hero ever in the hole wide world. I love her so much. You can never ever have a hero like my hero. She is the best hero ever."
My Comment
My comment has not been approved yet, but I believe I told Reety that my hero is my mom too! She is always there for me no matter what, and there is no better hero to have!
November 3
This week, I commented on Harley H.'s blog; Jack-o-lantern.
"Do you like carving jack – o lantern or pumpkins if you do let me tell you some things why I like carving pumpkins.i like carving pumpkins because if your parents let you you can stick your hand and get all of the . How to make a jack -o lantern first you get a pumpkin than draw a face on it and then cut it out with a carving knife and than on Halloween put a candle in it."
My Comment
Hey Harley! My name is Emma Boren, I am a student in EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama. I always loved carving pumpkins when I was a kid! I liked to pick out all the gooey insides and the seeds. Then, I liked to pick out a face to carve in it and light it on Halloween. It was a lot of fun, and I am glad you enjoy it too!
C4T Summary
This month I commented on John R. Sowash's blog, The Electric Educator.
The first post I commented on was titled "5 Chrome Setting that will Make Teachers Smile" In this blog, Mr. Sowash stated that he had always chosen google chrome as his main browser. He said it is an awesome browser for the classroom, and then he continued by giving five tips or tricks to get the most out of using google chrome.
This five things include:
"1. Launch Tabs on Startup
Most of us spend the majority of our time on the Internet on the same 3-5 websites. For me, it's Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar - my productivity essentials.
You can ask Google chrome to automatically load your favorite websites each time you start Chrome. No need to manually visit these pages. Open Chrome and you're ready to go!
To enable this feature: Settings > Show Advanced Settings > On Startup
Tip 1: Don't auto-load too many pages! I recommend you keep it at three or less!
Tip 2: If you use Chromebooks in your classroom with students, you can set which pages load when a student logs on to their Chromebook. This feature is controlled from within the Google Apps dashboard so you'll want to make your IT director a pan of brownies and ask him to turn it on.
2. Bookmark Sync
Teacher love bookmarking pages. Now you can synchronize your bookmarks across Chrome! You can use Chrome on your PC, Mac, Chromebook, iPhone or Android tablet. As long as you sign in to chrome, your book marks will be there when you need them!
You must sign in to Chrome to enable this feature: Settings > Sign in to Chrome. Make sure you check the box for "bookmarks". You can adjust your Chrome sync settings at any time by going to Settings > Users > Advance Sync Settings
3. Tab Sync
Have you ever pulled up a web page on your home computer, gone in to the office and wished you could remember the web address of the page back at home? With tab sync, you can view any open tab on any of your devices and open them with a single click. Pull up a map on your laptop, jump in the car and open up the map on your phone!
You must sign in to Chrome to enable this feature: Settings > Sign in to Chrome. Make sure you check the box for "open tabs". You must repeat these steps on every device you wish to use the tab sync feature.
After enabling tab sync, when you open a new tab in Chrome, you will see an option for "other devices" where all of your open tabs will be displayed. The screen shot below is from an iPhone, showing tabs on several other devices.
4. Zoom
When you are projecting something in class and you want to highlight a specific area of the screen you can use the keyboard shortcut ctrl and + to zoom in. When you are ready to zoom back out, use ctrl and - or ctrl and 0.
Nothing to enable here! Just use ctrl and +/- to zoom in and out!
5. Settings Search
Do you need to reset your pass-phrase, adjust your trackpad sensitivity or delete an extension? Don't worry about remember where that button is, just search for it! Chrome user settings can be quickly searched. It makes adjusting settings super easy!
Nothing to enable here! Just go into settings and look for the search box!"
In my comment to Mr. Sowash, I told him who I was and that I was a student in EDM 310. I also told him that I found his blog post to be very helpful. I continued by saying the most helpful to me was the launch tabs tip because each time I use Chrome, I do go to the same websites each time: the class blog, my blog, and google drive. It would be great if they would automatically open each time. I ended by thanking him for sharing all of these great tips, and I gave him a link to my blog so he could check it out!
The second post I read was titled "Cleaning Up YouTube for your Classroom."
"Video is a powerful teaching tool. As the largest online video repository, YouTube is a popular destination for video clips however YouTube is blocked at many schools and teachers are often hesitant to use YouTube because of easy access to inappropriate content and the unpredictability of when inappropriate content can appear. The good news, is that there are ways to safely and effectively use YouTube in your classroom! Here are some tips and suggestions.
Option 1: Don't use YouTube.comInstead of directing students to YouTube where they could potentially get into trouble, embed videos into your class blog or website. Embedding video avoids inappropriate comments and related videos which regularly appear on YouTube.com. It will require some additional work on the part of the teacher to find and embed the videos on a class website, but if the videos are good, it's worth the effort!
Tip: Utilize Playlists
Playlists help you curate content as you find it. Playlists can be easily shared with students or embedded in your blog or web page, like the example below.
Tip: Instructions: How to embed a playlist.
The first post I commented on was titled "5 Chrome Setting that will Make Teachers Smile" In this blog, Mr. Sowash stated that he had always chosen google chrome as his main browser. He said it is an awesome browser for the classroom, and then he continued by giving five tips or tricks to get the most out of using google chrome.
This five things include:
"1. Launch Tabs on Startup
Most of us spend the majority of our time on the Internet on the same 3-5 websites. For me, it's Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar - my productivity essentials.
You can ask Google chrome to automatically load your favorite websites each time you start Chrome. No need to manually visit these pages. Open Chrome and you're ready to go!
To enable this feature: Settings > Show Advanced Settings > On Startup
Tip 1: Don't auto-load too many pages! I recommend you keep it at three or less!
Tip 2: If you use Chromebooks in your classroom with students, you can set which pages load when a student logs on to their Chromebook. This feature is controlled from within the Google Apps dashboard so you'll want to make your IT director a pan of brownies and ask him to turn it on.
2. Bookmark Sync
Teacher love bookmarking pages. Now you can synchronize your bookmarks across Chrome! You can use Chrome on your PC, Mac, Chromebook, iPhone or Android tablet. As long as you sign in to chrome, your book marks will be there when you need them!
You must sign in to Chrome to enable this feature: Settings > Sign in to Chrome. Make sure you check the box for "bookmarks". You can adjust your Chrome sync settings at any time by going to Settings > Users > Advance Sync Settings
3. Tab Sync
Have you ever pulled up a web page on your home computer, gone in to the office and wished you could remember the web address of the page back at home? With tab sync, you can view any open tab on any of your devices and open them with a single click. Pull up a map on your laptop, jump in the car and open up the map on your phone!
You must sign in to Chrome to enable this feature: Settings > Sign in to Chrome. Make sure you check the box for "open tabs". You must repeat these steps on every device you wish to use the tab sync feature.
After enabling tab sync, when you open a new tab in Chrome, you will see an option for "other devices" where all of your open tabs will be displayed. The screen shot below is from an iPhone, showing tabs on several other devices.
4. Zoom
When you are projecting something in class and you want to highlight a specific area of the screen you can use the keyboard shortcut ctrl and + to zoom in. When you are ready to zoom back out, use ctrl and - or ctrl and 0.
Nothing to enable here! Just use ctrl and +/- to zoom in and out!
5. Settings Search
Do you need to reset your pass-phrase, adjust your trackpad sensitivity or delete an extension? Don't worry about remember where that button is, just search for it! Chrome user settings can be quickly searched. It makes adjusting settings super easy!
Nothing to enable here! Just go into settings and look for the search box!"
In my comment to Mr. Sowash, I told him who I was and that I was a student in EDM 310. I also told him that I found his blog post to be very helpful. I continued by saying the most helpful to me was the launch tabs tip because each time I use Chrome, I do go to the same websites each time: the class blog, my blog, and google drive. It would be great if they would automatically open each time. I ended by thanking him for sharing all of these great tips, and I gave him a link to my blog so he could check it out!
The second post I read was titled "Cleaning Up YouTube for your Classroom."
"Video is a powerful teaching tool. As the largest online video repository, YouTube is a popular destination for video clips however YouTube is blocked at many schools and teachers are often hesitant to use YouTube because of easy access to inappropriate content and the unpredictability of when inappropriate content can appear. The good news, is that there are ways to safely and effectively use YouTube in your classroom! Here are some tips and suggestions.
Option 1: Don't use YouTube.comInstead of directing students to YouTube where they could potentially get into trouble, embed videos into your class blog or website. Embedding video avoids inappropriate comments and related videos which regularly appear on YouTube.com. It will require some additional work on the part of the teacher to find and embed the videos on a class website, but if the videos are good, it's worth the effort!
Playlists help you curate content as you find it. Playlists can be easily shared with students or embedded in your blog or web page, like the example below.
Tip: Instructions: How to embed a playlist.
Tip: Disable Related Videos
Google provides users with the option to exclude problematic "related videos" from displaying after a video finishes. Simply check the "do not show related videos" box when sharing a video.
Option 2: Use YouTube for Schools
YouTube for Schools is a special version of YouTube that only allows students to view selected videos. YouTube for schools must be enabled by a school network administrator.
Setting up YouTube for Schools 30 min. overview of YouTube for Schools
Become a Video Curator - Create Your Own YouTube Chanel
Creating your own YouTube channel allows you to upload your own video content, favorite videos and create playlists. These features are helpful and important if you plan on showing video clips in your classroom or embedding clips into your class blog or wiki.
Google provides users with the option to exclude problematic "related videos" from displaying after a video finishes. Simply check the "do not show related videos" box when sharing a video.
Option 2: Use YouTube for Schools
YouTube for Schools is a special version of YouTube that only allows students to view selected videos. YouTube for schools must be enabled by a school network administrator.
Setting up YouTube for Schools 30 min. overview of YouTube for Schools
Become a Video Curator - Create Your Own YouTube Chanel
Creating your own YouTube channel allows you to upload your own video content, favorite videos and create playlists. These features are helpful and important if you plan on showing video clips in your classroom or embedding clips into your class blog or wiki.
Examples of Teacher YouTube Channels
Create a Class Chanel
A Class YouTube Chanel can be used to highlight student work. You will need an email address that is NOT currently associated with a YouTube channel in order to setup a class channel. Students LOVE seeing their work online and can easily share their work with others. Creating a class channel avoids the problems that can arise if you ask students to create their own YouTube channel.
Create a Class Chanel
A Class YouTube Chanel can be used to highlight student work. You will need an email address that is NOT currently associated with a YouTube channel in order to setup a class channel. Students LOVE seeing their work online and can easily share their work with others. Creating a class channel avoids the problems that can arise if you ask students to create their own YouTube channel.
Examples of Class YouTube Channels:
Additional Resources:
Additional Resources:
- YouTube for Teachers - A site designed to help teachers learn how to incorporate video effectively into the classroom.
- YouTube EDU - Educational content from a variety of content providers such as Khan Academy, Universities, TED, and Discovery Education. Note: the content of Youtube EDU is what students with access to YouTube for Schools will see.
- Harnessing the Power of YouTube - A 30 min. presentation by classroom teacher James Sanders on how he has incorporated YouTube into his classroom."
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Blog Post #11
For this post, I watches Ms. Cassidy's skype interviews. In these interviews, she explains the ways that she uses technology in her classroom. I enjoyed these because it showed me ways to incorporate all of the things that we have been learning into a real life class. She had a lot of great ideas.
Ms. Cassidy uses a webpage, a class blog, and wikis to teach with technology. She adds all of these things into her curriculum. Each of her students has their own blog where they can write posts and post pictures of their work. I think this is a really good way for parents to keep up with what their children are working on in school. With this, she always ensures these children's protection. She sends out a letter at the beginning of the year to let the parents know that the students work will be posted online. She also gives a few tips on ways to keep the children safe, such as, only using first names and not posting pictures of the children with their names attached.
Ms. Cassidy also took the time to answer some questions. She gave great ideas about how to use blogs and wiki even in PE classes. She told the boy that a blog could be used to keep parents informed of practice times if they were to change, and it could also be used to keep everyone up to date on the team stats. In all classrooms, however, a class blog is an excellent way of keeping the parents informed of what is going on in the class. This can be a useful way of letting them know what is being worked on in each subject, and what the children's homework is, so they can help their kids with it.
I plan to have a class blog for my class. I think it is the best way of communicating with the students and their parents. I also think it is a great opportunity for the kids to have the chance to post their thoughts and work for the world to see. I believe it will help with their reading and writing skills, and it is a good way to open up doors for different relationships with all kinds of people. They will hear feedback on their work. However, I will want to send home a letter at the beginning of the year to get the parents permission because some may not be comfortable with their children using the internet. I am glad these interviews were assigned for us to watch because Ms. Cassidy has been doing it for a long time, and she let us know that we aren't just going through this class for no reason. All of these tools are very useful in the classroom!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)