My group and I did not partake in a video conference. However, I have used Skype and I-Chat in my personal life, and I would definitely do some things different next time. I would make sure that background noise and what I want as the background or scene in the video is appropriate. If I am conferencing as a professional, I do not want to be laying in my bedroom chatting. Video web conferencing is a window into your world for a short time. I would prepare and treat the next Web conference I partake in as if I were having a face to face meeting. This ensures that your are prepared for a conference that is and can be posted on the internet at any point in time (if recorded).
I would really like to try web conferencing in my classroom. Students are constantly emailing me with questions about grades or projects, or just utter confusion. By setting up a schedule of web conferences, students would have the opportunity to ask all these questions outside of the classroom. I know that I am scrambling to cover all the content in my World History class, and sometimes this prevents these important questions to be pushed aside. By using web conferencing, students would feel safe to chat with me either one on one or as a group so we can communicate outside the classroom.
I am not sure why my group and I did not participate in this web conference, sometimes group work is difficult to complete for various reasons.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Part B- Application of TPACK
The technology I have chosen for my Wicked project is using Google Notebook as another method or tool for students to take notes on lectures and presentations. In my World History classroom, I find students struggling to listen to my lectures, watch the visuals, and take adequate notes on the content all at one time. Many times students take longer to process information, and need the notes up for a longer period of time, to ensure they are writing down every piece of information in the presentation. By using Google Notebook along with access to video or audio of the lecture presented in class, students can take notes at their own pace, and have control over the speed of the lecture with stop and start features.
Another way that Google Notebook is a great tool for students to learn inside and also outside the classroom how to deduct information from a lecture. By providing inductive reasoning in my lectures, students have the opportunity to use deductive reasoning and apply what they heard in class and take notes AFTER the lecture. This allows students to learn how to reflect and infer what they think the most important ideas and concepts were in the lecture. By using Google Notebook, students can they share their notes with classmates and reflect and learn from each other by collaborating on content notes.
The sharing and collaborating feature of Google Notebook is the feature of this technology that makes my content in my class more accessible. Students are allowed to share notes, compare notes, collaborate on content outside of the classroom. Google Notebook also gives students who are absent or not in school the chance to read other peers notes and watch and take notes on the content missed. This can be crucial for High School students because they tend to miss classes often.
The PC knowledge for my solution is by using inductive and deductive strategies through Google Notebook, students will be able to learn and grow to be expert note takers. They will be able to visualize the content inductively, and also deductively. This will build note taking skills by learning how to extract pertinent information from lectures.
Another way that Google Notebook is a great tool for students to learn inside and also outside the classroom how to deduct information from a lecture. By providing inductive reasoning in my lectures, students have the opportunity to use deductive reasoning and apply what they heard in class and take notes AFTER the lecture. This allows students to learn how to reflect and infer what they think the most important ideas and concepts were in the lecture. By using Google Notebook, students can they share their notes with classmates and reflect and learn from each other by collaborating on content notes.
The sharing and collaborating feature of Google Notebook is the feature of this technology that makes my content in my class more accessible. Students are allowed to share notes, compare notes, collaborate on content outside of the classroom. Google Notebook also gives students who are absent or not in school the chance to read other peers notes and watch and take notes on the content missed. This can be crucial for High School students because they tend to miss classes often.
The PC knowledge for my solution is by using inductive and deductive strategies through Google Notebook, students will be able to learn and grow to be expert note takers. They will be able to visualize the content inductively, and also deductively. This will build note taking skills by learning how to extract pertinent information from lectures.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Part A- Brainstorm Session
For our brainstorming session for our leadership project, we used Web Huddle as our conferencing tool. One group member set up a time and conference and emailed us the link to attend. Upon entering the conference I hooked up my microphone and was ready to chat. Unfortunately, we could not figure out how the facilitator of the conference, (Kathy who set it up) could give microphone rights to other members including myself. I could hear her, but she could not hear me. We decided once Scott one of our other group members entered the conference, that we would have to just use the chat feature to conduct business. Kathy who set up the conference was allowed to upload two powerpoints (that could not contain many slides due to allowed space for the free feature. We were still waiting on Sami our final group member to join the conference before we started discussing the details of our project. Sami had difficulty logging on to the chat and called Kathy and Kathy was Sami's voice during the conference. The advantages of using a web conferencing tool are people all over the world can chat at the same time. Also members can give instant feedback in the discussion. Also another advantage is that all members can look at documents or videos at the same time, essentially creating a climate as if we were meeting face to face. A disadvantage are many technical difficulties like our group experienced. Voice and video features not working properly, members unable to join, or enter the conference. Also a disadvantage is setting up a time for the conference to actually happen. Members must be at a computer with Internet and video and microphone accessories all at the exact same time, which can be difficult in our busy world. Overall when using a web conferencing tool, I would suggest that all members are familiar with how it operates so it can be conducted smoothly.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Part A- Description of Need or Opportunity
An educational need that I have found in my classroom, is a alternative way for students to take notes on lectures or discussions that does not hinder them from concentrating on the lecture or discussion itself. Also a need for an alternative way to allow students to take notes on lecture material on their own and at their own pace. Many times, my lectures have to pause for students to continue taking notes. This leads me to the conclusion, that my students are not paying attention to the content itself, but only concentrating on writing down the notes during my presentation.
By using Google Notebook as an educational tool in my classroom, students will have access to an electronic notebook that they can store and record all classroom notes derived from my lectures or discussions. Each lecture or discussion along with correlating note presentation (ie. PowerPoint) would be recorded and posted daily on my classroom blog. After students participated and listened to the lecture in the classroom, for homework, they would access the lecture and notes from my blog, and take their own notes electronically using Google Notebook.
Each student and teacher in my district has a school GMail account which allows free access and storage to Google Notebook. Students would be able to take notes on the material covered in class at their own pace. This is beneficial for students of all learning capabilities, because they are given access to assistive technologies for note taking, and can work at their own pace to record the pertinent information needed. Using Google Notebook will also allow students to organize and access all their notes from my class from anywhere with Internet access. This will help students to stay organized and have all their notes in one place.
Often I have found that my lecture is slowed down due to students not being able to write notes quick enough, or a concerned about spelling or wording. I have taken a poll in my classroom, and my students feel that using Google Notebook would be a useful tool that they would use in my class. They conveyed to me that this would allow for more time to participate in discussions rather than focus on note taking.
During this course, I will implement students having access to Google Notebook by setting up their Gmail accounts if not already completed. I will also need to be sure that students will have access and knowledge on how to use Google Notebook before expecting them to use it in my class daily. During this course I will implement a Google Notebook tutorial to my class, and explore all its features.
The portion I plan to implement after this class is recording video of my daily lectures and/or presentations and linking it to my blog. Another portion I will implement after this class is incorporating Google Notebook into my students coursework next year.
By using Google Notebook as an educational tool in my classroom, students will have access to an electronic notebook that they can store and record all classroom notes derived from my lectures or discussions. Each lecture or discussion along with correlating note presentation (ie. PowerPoint) would be recorded and posted daily on my classroom blog. After students participated and listened to the lecture in the classroom, for homework, they would access the lecture and notes from my blog, and take their own notes electronically using Google Notebook.
Each student and teacher in my district has a school GMail account which allows free access and storage to Google Notebook. Students would be able to take notes on the material covered in class at their own pace. This is beneficial for students of all learning capabilities, because they are given access to assistive technologies for note taking, and can work at their own pace to record the pertinent information needed. Using Google Notebook will also allow students to organize and access all their notes from my class from anywhere with Internet access. This will help students to stay organized and have all their notes in one place.
Often I have found that my lecture is slowed down due to students not being able to write notes quick enough, or a concerned about spelling or wording. I have taken a poll in my classroom, and my students feel that using Google Notebook would be a useful tool that they would use in my class. They conveyed to me that this would allow for more time to participate in discussions rather than focus on note taking.
During this course, I will implement students having access to Google Notebook by setting up their Gmail accounts if not already completed. I will also need to be sure that students will have access and knowledge on how to use Google Notebook before expecting them to use it in my class daily. During this course I will implement a Google Notebook tutorial to my class, and explore all its features.
The portion I plan to implement after this class is recording video of my daily lectures and/or presentations and linking it to my blog. Another portion I will implement after this class is incorporating Google Notebook into my students coursework next year.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
CEP 811
I have advanced my knowledge on Educational technology during CEP 811. I have found that teachers really must evaluate how they are going to teach with technology, and not just use it to use it. Integrating technology into the classroom has to be useful and affective for learning to actually take place. Teaching with technology must be useful to all learning styles. This can make it difficult to create a lesson that is not only incorporates technology, but address student learning styles and abilities as well. I have learned throughout this course on how to evaluate technology based lessons, by creating my own, receiving feedback, and evaluating others. Also learning about UDL principals has really made me re think how I teach daily, with or without technology. I met a goal that I had during this course to create my own web based lesson. By creating my stAIR, I learned how difficult it can be to create a self contained lesson that reaches all students. This has made me create a new goal for myself, of creating a web based lesson, that reaches all student of various learning abilities, and applying the principals of UDL to it. My long term goal is to continue to work towards my Masters in Educational Technology. I am happy to say that I was recently accepted into the MAET program and will be continuing to learn on how to be an affective teacher, while using technology.
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