Flickr, Photobucket & Picnik - WoW

My screentoaster link to hear my presentation. I apologize about the PPT not being available with the recording, but when I went to put it on the whole site shut down. My 5 minute presentation has turned into over a 4 hour nightmare. I also tried Jing but then ran out of time. When I went back to redo it, it said that Jing had to temporarily close and I haven't been able to get back on it. So you have my recording and you have my PPT, just not in the same place. : )

Grading criteria checklist for your WoW project presentation and blog reflection include:

Organization of the presentation (flow, length, practiced). Presentation parts: Intro, Body, and Conclusion + References and Appendices. I organized my presentation as if it were being given at a professional workshop, however the information within my presentation could very easily be presented to students as it describes the basics of those photo-sharing sites and how to begin.

Topic stimulation (active engagement) - the topic stimulation would be to go to the actual sites and have the students participate in editing/decorating a picture that they have taken.

Usefulness of materials (clear, practical, handy, relevant, informative, handout(s), resources provided). I feel that the material is practical because it explains how to join these sites, the basic advantages as far as free editing tools, how to share your pictures and what methods of media to use to share your photos/videos.

Knowledge of the topic (expertise, good ideas, insights). Flickr, Photobucket and Picnik are all photo-sharing sites. At first it seemed a bit confusing because it seemed like they were all the same, but after researching them and using them to actually edit one of my own photos, I was able to pass on some good ideas for each site.

Scope of teaching ideas and curriculum impact (goals clear, important, appropriate, significant, doable). I believe that I portrayed clear goals as far as how photo-sharing could be used in the classroom. I also provided some advantages and disadvantages so that anyone viewing my presentation could see the appropriateness for students.

Effort (digging deep, extensive depth displayed in the research and provided presentation, work-work-work-work, persistence). My gave my best effort in this presentation and tried to use each site so that I could tell the listeners what site would work best for them.

Audience involvement (Grabbers, Check for Understanding stops, activities, Summative assessment tools, etc.). I feel that my grabber would be my brochure and checking for understanding. I have included a youtube video that really explains the usefulness of photo-sharing in schools.

References (APA style is followed). References follow the APA style guidelines.

Final Log In My Blog

I think what I have found most important throughout this course is the reflection that I have done on my own work, as well as the evaluations that my peers have given to me. Whether you are assessing yourself, your peers or your students, you are diagnosing what you know and what you need to work on. Exploring technology and developing the knowledge to be able to create using technology is a wonderful tool to take with you anywhere. It's a new topic and there are a lot of people that are unaware of all the capabilities. I just told my husband about the pogoboards website because he deals with customers from many different countries. He now wants to explore and use this to put together a presentation in Singapore and France.

Bookmarking sites and keeping a running list of resources on my personal website and this blog are a great reference point to refer to when I need to research a topic for a lesson.

Following the blogs of my peers is not only fun, but it's interesting to see what take other people have when we research or listen to information on the same topic. Here are some blogs that I follow and have commented on either through the blog directly or via the Moodle website: http://2teachis2share.blogspot.com/, http://dougmaxwell.blogspot.com/, http://pam-pamelapc.blogspot.com/, http://thebrowns63.blogspot.com/

I am thankful that I had a teacher like Dr. Smirnova because she is genuinely excited about technology which in turn gets the whole class excited to learn. The advantages definitely outweighed the disadvantages when we had our online classes, and Dr. Smirnova never got frustrated.

Have a great summer and I look forward to blogging again in my Methods class.

Collaborating Chords for the Final Accord

I loved this video. It just goes to show you that every little piece that someone contributes adds to the whole creation, like a piece to a puzzle. It is collaboration at its best. It's sharing and enjoying what you learn mixed all together. One person standing alone cannot reach their potential. When you share your learning, the knowledge and camaraderie you gain is staggering. Just check out the numbers on just a few of these social media sites...Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and you'll be surprised at the shift we have made into learning through Web 2.0.

Take a Peak at Speakaboo

Record your own storybook! How fun would that be for your students. You could incorporate literacy, art, music, and technology into this new Web 2.0 tool. The ability to record your own story is "coming soon" to the Peakaboo website, but I have registered and am awaiting the newsletter that says it is ready. I can't wait to bring this fresh idea to my student teaching.

Pogoboards

I really thought this was an interesting tool to use. Whether you use it to communicate, improve literacy or just for fun, this communication board tool is an exciting way to get the students involved. I have bookmarked this site and can't wait to think of an idea to use the pogoboards with when I student teach.

My WoW Project

flickr, photobucket and picnik
Photosharing sites - check it out!

http://www.slideshare.net/sjmankoo/sallys-wow-presentation

How to Get Engaged with a Smartboard

I would say that the key characteristic of an engaging website for use with a Smartboard is visual representation. The Smartboard brings a lesson alive. The attractiveness of the website, i.e., color, interactivity, sound, will all make a website engaging to active learners and will in turn create a positive learning environment.

Sign Up! Permanent Professional Development

I am excited to become part of yet another professional development site. It really pays to become a member of these groups because the newsletters and information that they can provide are priceless. I know that I am getting the most up to date information and that will make me as asset to my students and co-workers. I love these words: "Did you hear about....? Learning is exciting, but sharing ideas and knowledge with others is worth so much to me.

Copyright or Copywrong?

I was surprised at the amount of work that is not copyrighted. I am also surprised how much is! I was taken aback by my incorrect assumption of how giving credit does not satisfy copyright requirements. I must admit that I was really unaware of how to properly use copyrighted work. Work on the internet is governed by this treaty http://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/overview.html.

Now that I am aware of it, I will assume that everything is copyrighted and will ask permission to use it.

Netiquette

There is a long list of tips on how to avoid hurting someone's feelings on the internet. However, I feel that the best advice is write ONLY what you would say to someone's face. Words on a page cannot show emotion and you have to remember to add little emoticons if you want to make sure someone knows you're joking.

The internet is such a "public" place that what you say or write could get into the wrong hands. My best advice is to treat people the way that you would like to be treated, and remember everything that you publish on the internet never goes away, it just floats around in internet space.

Starting a Trend in 2010: Generation Text Newsletter

Communication is important between teachers and parents because the difficulties that the student is having are exposed. Those difficulties can then be focused and improved on. Communication is also important because the teacher, student and parents share the understanding of goals in the curriculum. The parents are also able to let the teacher know about the student's interests, needs and areas of concern. Communication is key because it lets the parents and teachers know what is going on in their child's/student's life.

I would like to offer many forms of communication with my students' parents. I will definitely use some form of weekly newsletter. I was a bit disappointed with Letterpop this time. The formatting became a problem because it wouldn't let me view the whole column.

I'm a little unsure of using tools such as email. I would want parents to understand that the answers may not be immediate. My top priority would be to my students. Throughout the school year, it seems that Engrade would also be a good form of communication because the parents would be able to view everything themselves, and then contact me with specific questions. I found that Engrade does have some very useful tools, and in the next few years, I think all the minor kinks could be worked out.

The software we used for this project was Letterpop. We chose it because I think I persuaded everyone how cool it was. The collaboration was easy because our group did it through Google Docs, however, Letterpop does not provide for group work like a Wiki. I would definitely give all the other newsletter sites a test run to see which one worked the best.

Kidspiration Venn Diagram

I chose this Venn Diagram because it goes along with the Unit Plan I created for Dr. Smirnova's Curricular Planning class. The learning outcome I would expect for my mind-mapping venn diagram would be that the students would be able to visualize the objects used by the Native Americans, the Colonists and also items that they both used. The venn diagram will show the students similarities and differences between the Natives and Colonists. This type of assessment provides the teacher with diagnostic feedback. It shows if the students understand what was used by each group of people. I think this mind-map tool will improve the student's learning because it is not just words on a page. The pictures of the tools, homes, food, etc., give the students a visual understanding of what was available during that time period and who used what. I would say the most important thing I learned from this activity would be to make sure that I include assessments like this creative Venn diagram from Kidspiration. It all started with my Unit Plan on Native Americans. I then took the Measurement and Evaluation class this summer and I created a in depth test that goes along with this Unit Plan. Now I have a cool mind-mapping tool that I could include along with it. It is very exciting to have all of these tools to incorporate and fit into assessments for my Unit Plan. I really enjoyed working with Kidspiration. The thing I liked best was the amount of clipart they use and the ability to make sound.

Engrade gets an A+

I love the organization that this online grading tool can offer. I tried to play around with it first, but then decided to take the tutorial. It is so easy to post assignments and enter grades. You can even have the program weigh the percentages. I like the feature of using e for exclude or m for missing assignment. The program calculates the scores accordingly. The citizenship box is pretty cool too. The parents or student can access their gradebook and see the teacher's comments in the citizenship section, such as "great job." If a student has many teachers that use Engrade, they can register once and have all their classes under one account. This keeps the student on track and can provide motivation to increase their grades because they have online access at any time. I would definitely use this program. It seems that it would keep me very organized, as well as in touch with the parents and students.

I know that the calendar feature would be a favorite to the teacher, student and parents. Tests, homework, projects, or anything that is due can be added to the calendar so that students and parents can keep track of upcoming assignments.

E-Portfolio - A Story of Learning (Helen Barrett video)

I enjoyed listening to Helen Barrett describe digital storytelling. What? So What? and Now What? are her three questions that can help guide our reflections tie the past to the present to the future. She also discussed hyperlinking and how that can lead to metacognition and deeper learning. The way I understand this association is that when you hyperlink you check out other resources and you gain more knowledge because the information is "webbed" together. Learning and reflecting through a digital story can be celebrated. You can keep adding to it, and, in a sense, hear yourself change throughout your life.

"You're Putting My Work Where?" said the student to the teacher.

In an E-folio.

"Why?": To show how much you've changed and identify your strengths and weaknesses, show your end of year accomplishments, and evaluate your progress toward the standards so that I can place you appropriately.

"What will you put in my e-folio?" Anything can be included in a portfolio, but I would mostly select samples of work that illustrate your best performance in designated areas or the culmination of progress you made. I will collect your work along the way but save the selection and reflection until the end.

"Will my work be in a folder?" I would like to make an E-Folio (electronic file), however there are paper portfolios and hybrid portfolios which hold artwork, audio/video and more 3-D projects.

"Who will see my portfolio?" Well, you will tell about your portfolio to your classmates, friends, and family. You will be so proud of all your work and will be amazed at how much you've grown throughout the year. You will actually be able to assess your achievements yourself.

"How do I get my work into an E-Folio?" There are so many Web 2.0 tools to help you publish your work, some of them are: "Me" Publishing, Photo sharing (Flickr), youtube, Plone, del.icio.us (a social bookmarking site), shared writing spaces like Wiki (PB Works), media creation, podcasts, start pages, and online office tools. If you want to check them out follow this link http://electronicportfolios.com/web20.html#web2

Things have really changed from 1.0 to 2.0. The portfolio focuses on your individuality and creativity. You are the driving force behind this portfolio!

Constructing Answers Out of Old and New Knowledge

Traditional ------------------------Authentic

Selecting a Response ------------Performing a Task

Contrived --------------------------Real-life

Recall/Recognition --------------Construction/Application

Teacher-structured --------------Student-structured

Indirect Evidence ---------------Direct Evidence

The use of authentic assessment does not take away the need for traditional assessments. When used in conjunction with one another, they complement each other. A student who is assessed using both authentic and traditional assessment will be kept on track and the teacher will know exactly where they student needs help. When students have to construct a response based on their interpretation of the material, new knowledge is gained and it can be shared with their peers.

In order to create authentic assessment, the teacher must know what the students need to know to meet the standards. Next, a task must be given to see if the student can perform well on the task and apply their knowledge so that the product is creative. The product is based on a criteria or a rubric which has all the requirements and what score will be given for meeting such criteria.

Authentic assessments are real-life meaningful applications that are driven by the students. It is not memorization or teacher-structured. Students need to get more out of a lesson than a grade. What I really like about authentic assessment is that you are catching any misconceptions that the student has about the material BEFORE the Unit is over. Diagnostic feedback is the best way to provide students with the best growth and maximum learning potential. There are different types of authentic assessment: selected response like multiple choice and true/false tests; constructed responses like short answer (product) and measuring objects (performance) and products like essays or podcasts.

My First Podcast

salmankoo.podomatic.com

I cannot believe it worked. There were a few kinks along the way, like the Podomatic internal server errors, but it worked. My topic was technology and where it will take us. I had so much fun doing this. Now that I know how to make a podcast, I can make some more and help others to make some too.

Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each ~Plato

Innovative Teacher = Improved Learning

A teacher who is innovative reminds me of a willow tree. There are many branches and leaves which embrace the trunk of the tree which is like the student. Effective teaching and learning is effective because of all the tools that are available. A teacher who has learned how to use the indispensable learning technologies has to keep abreast of all the changes too. The new changes are the "wind" that will continuously sway the willow tree, testing and challenging the teacher to improve the learning experiences of her students.

Take Something From These Four Families

The four "families," Social, Information-Processing, Personal and Behavioral Systems each contain strategies that will help us become effective teachers. However, taking only from one family will not allow you to reach all learners. The Instructional Models Key is helpful because the goal is listed down the middle of the table and is useful in selecting strategies to use in different lessons. In order to be an effective teacher, you MUST incorporate direct and indirect teaching.

ASSURE Spells It All Out

The ASSURE Model is well-prepared and detailed guide that shows exactly how to integrate technology and media into teaching. By following this model, I would say that a teacher would be able to identify their learner, specify the objectives, and select the appropriate media. A teacher who engages their students with active learning and participation will produce students who can generalize their knowledge.

Dynamic PLE's

I enjoyed Stephen Downes' video. I got a little lost when he started with all the "techno lingo" and I really became aware of my digital immigrant status. I was, however, able to understand some of the words he used and I was proud of myself for gaining that knowledge.

I found the topic on narrowing the participation gap very interesting. When a person learns more and becomes engaged with a particular community, the gap that once separated them is narrowed. If I understood Mr. Downes correctly, a new neural state is acquired because a higher level of learning has been activated and a new network of neural connections have been formed in the mind. This is good stuff!

Good or Stupid?

In order to separate the good from the bad or stupid technology, I feel that simplicity is the number one factor. If a teacher cannot operate the technology without a lot of hassle and waste of time, how effective is the technology? Technology must be available and must be operated with ease. Remember, technology is suppose to make our lives a little bit easier : )

I agree that as technologies mature they become easier to use. Maybe technology will become so easy that the Geek Squad will become obsolete : ) I think it is important that technology be infused with teaching in the right way and balance so that a teacher can still guide the students.

The PLE of a Digital Native

I saw this video before, but was still amazed when I watched it again. First of all, to have a student that is in such control of her learning is encouraging. Will all (or mostly all) students be this dedicated to doing their schoolwork if we incorporate technology in this manner? I would love to run my classroom like this!

"When you are through changing, you are through." Bruce Barton

Dear Mr. Principal

Dear Mr. Principal,

I would like to introduce you to Google and the many creative and organizational applications that are within it. Google Apps brings together essential services that will help the students in my classroom and students throughout the school. Google Apps will allow me to communicate and collaborate more effectively with students, parents and other teachers. The services that Google provides are easy to set up and won't cost the school district a penny.

The benefits of Google Apps seem endless when it comes to staying connected. I think that my students and their parents will love the ease and accessibility that Google Apps provides.

Please consider allowing Google Apps in my classroom and within the school. It's a change that will benefit everyone and foster a creative environment.

Sincerely,
Sally Mankoo

NET-S - Well Implemented??? LET-S See

In reviewing the NET-S, class readings, and my knowledge of how the curriculum is implemented in schools, I would say that a very small percentage of each ISTE Standard is being implemented. Like the 21st century learner video revealed, only 14% of the teachers allow the students to create something new with technology, and 76% of teachers have NEVER used wikis, podcasts, or blogs.

I feel that I am ready to try to meet those standards. It will be hard at first to see what works, but through experimentation and results, I think that what I introduce to my students will be based on innovation and creativity. I think it is important to have the student learn by actually performing the task. Students who discuss and collaborate teach each other, as well as finely tune their own understandings.

Throughout my personal experiences here at MSMC, I have seen the shift toward peer collaboration. When you are asked to reflect on your learning, you have to "dig deep," and discover things that maybe you didn't realize about your learning process or how such experiences have shaped your learning.

Picasion Slideshow

Wow...this was harder than I thought it would be. I can't believe that I managed to put the slide show together. I've prepared slide shows before on Smilebox, but this time when I used Picasion, my screenshots would not save as a jpeg. I eventually figured out how to "save the page as" and some saved as jpeg and others saved as png?? Not quite sure why, but they were accepted as the correct format. I wasn't able to put my wiki page in because the page wouldn't save as anything other than html. If you read this and could make a suggestion, I would greatly appreciate it.

I hope you enjoy my little slide show.

I'll take a Sidewiki of Google, please!

What an amazing idea! Google has come up with a sidebar that allows you to contribute or read helpful information that you or anyone else has added to a web page. You gain expert insight, get helpful tips, background information, and added perspective on the topic you are researching. It's like having a personal advisor giving you helpful hints. I am in the process of downloading Sidewiki and I will report back on my thoughts.

Are You a 21st Century Learner?

A 21st century learner is engaged and ready to analyze, compare, evaluate and interpret. They are able to view multiple sources, including texts, photographs, artwork, and data. They create their own point of view. These learners, although already equipped with knowledge of a digital world, come to school ready to put their skills to work. Teachers must be able to infuse the 21st century skills by creating a feedback cycle wherein students are challenged to produce, publish, become part of the audience and peer review.

As I have learned in the past year, communication, collaboration and creation are a big part of learning. The first activity that comes to mind that incorporates all of these skills is Jigsaw learning. Information is gathered, communicated amongst the group members and a final product is prepared to present to the class. I really enjoyed my experience with Jigsaw learning. Each member of the group brought a little piece to share in order to obtain the goal.

21st century learners are paving the way and are actually guiding how we will teach. The future of technology cannot be predicted. It is essential to maximize a higher order of thinking so that students can obtain resources and integrate them to create a product.

Sources of Literacy

These different types of literacy can really be interrelated. Information literacy is knowing how to find, analyze, and use information; the ability to gather information from multiple sources, select relevant material, and organize it into a form that will allow the user to make decisions or take specific actions.

Computer literacy is the knowledge and understanding of computers and their uses.

Integration literacy is the ability to use computers and other technologies combined with a variety of teaching and learning strategies to enhance students' learning; matching appropriate technology to learning objectives, goals, and outcomes.

Although literacy is used and obtained in each, the manner in which each is acquired is different. 21st century literacy will be have a new look. The days of book, pencil and paper are gone because the 21st century learners lives have been digitally changed. These learners have been born into a techno age. They are knowledgeable and open to different learning modes. Now we have to find new tools to challenge them so that their learning flourishes in a whole new way! Net generation students go to school wanting to create! If students learn by doing, we have to teach by letting them do!

WebEx Experience

My WebEx experience was similar to that of the Elluminate Live on-line class. It was exciting to see everyone come together and collaborate. There are about 28 people in the class so it took quite a bit of time to iron out all the technological problems that we experienced. The first meeting of our group - Generation Text - went okay. We made our way to Google Docs to finish up and we produced a beautiful business card which incorporated our photos and images which reflect a world that is brought together through technology.

At this WebEx class, we were able to get our questions answered and also learn about netiquette. It can be difficult to go from speaking on the telephone, texting, and then being in the same online "room" with your peers and professor. It is important to keep in mind who is where, and what type of technology you are using so that you are sure to use the appropriate etiquette.