Category Archives: Technology

Incredible Website

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While waiting for my oldest daughter to be ready this morning, I browsed the Edmodo communities.  Luckily, I came across this website educatorstechnology.com.  Wow!  So many articles that I had to resign myself to samples.  There’s simply too much, but certainly enough that anyone can find something useful.  One article from Educational Technology and Mobile Learning is “The 33 Digital Skills Every 21st Century Teacher Should Have”.  I think it’s kind of funny when the term 21st Century learning or teachers is used because it’s all basically 21st century.  This article has a lot of resources listed with links that I’ll check more into at a later date.  What I’ve seen so far is worth saving the information.  Honestly, my focus over the summer is literacy, but I keep finding new technical information.  I’m just going with the flow.

Scribblar

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I tried to embed Scribblar to my blog, but it is too large an image.  It takes away any ability to scroll or move the page so I changed it to an image icon.  This site kind of gives you the feel of a smart board.  (Oh to have a smart board in my future classroom – fingers are crossed.)  This is my room where I am learning about this website.  One daughter has a project to create a math tutorial to upload to youtube.  Remembering this site from earlier explorations, I decided to give a closer look.  Who knows if my daughter will choose to use this or come up with a different idea, but it sure is fun to play.  After browsing the various features, it seems that it has use when a promethean board is not available.  With a subscription, 35 uploads are allowed, but since Power Point can easily be used, then I can only imagine if one wishes to draw on a slide during a presentation?  I only have the free version.  It’s an engaging way for partners to work together on math problems.

Engaging ESLs – Teaching Listening and Speaking

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Foundations of the ESL Classroom

This semester I am taking two ESL courses.  What I am discovering is the need to scaffold the ESL learner specifically, but on a grander level – how to better serve all students.  This week, one challenge is to discover activities to promote listening/speaking skills for the non-native student.  One of my favorite ideas is using flockdraw.com.  This website allows real time collaboration via an interactive drawing tool.  Though the concept is driven to collaborate with people in other locations, imagine two children working alongside one another.  One writes the vocabulary word, then draws the image.  Next the other student verbally provides a definition of the word based on the drawing.  The two students discuss the word, along with various methods of describing the word through pictures.  Then the other student takes the next vocabulary word, continuing the process.  Alternative uses are drawing/discussing: events, character descriptions, poetry interpretations, and experiment plans.  (Update, I have since learned of scribblar.com which can save images in a more easily accessible manner, plus has enhanced features, but this site may still prove useful.)

Here’s a version of “decimate”:

Flockdraw vocabulary example

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Google Doc Form for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

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Recently, I attended a conference at Baylor University spotlighting Harvey Daniels.  Concerning literacy, I learned about scaffolding hard text, using

book clubs, and bringing fun back into a system pressured by tests.  Additionally, I attended a writer’s workshop, as well as a classroom technology

workshop.  For the most part, the technology didn’t offer a lot of new information, but I did gain a better look at Google Docs.  I’ve used this tool in the

past, but had never attempted a Google Form or Google Spreadsheet.  I decided to briefly play with creating a form to determine practicality, as well

as ease of use.  I found it highly usable.  I used Grace Lin’s book Where the Mountain Meets the Moon because it’s a favorite.  Check out her website also.

Here’s my short stab at a Google Form; it’s a sample of what would be a series of forms for this story.  The paragraph answers would go into a journal, but by answering

the multiple choice, I know they have seen the essay questions, plus remained on task on the reading assignment.

 

Google Drive

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Survey

I recently began using Google Docs, then Google Drive once it changed, to store documents.  I like the idea of comments being used to suggest editing, rather than editing over someone’s work utilized in a wiki.  Don’t get me wrong, wikis still hold a valid place for collaborative work, but it seems both tools, wiki and Google Drive, may have advantages over the other dependent upon the assignment.  I need direct experience to gain better understanding, but now I can learn from others already experimenting with these tools in the classroom.  So what do you think?  Best uses for each?  Pros and cons specific to learning objectives/use?

Disregard: to prove I’m the author of this site for another organization: GVW3JN2SXW3S

 

Poetry reading of “Trees”

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First Video Podcast

Improvements have been made to the first audio podcast, but I still don’t seem quite like myself.  I’d like to put a little more oomf into it – hmm not sure oomf is a word.  🙂  Zest works.  Voice is not as monotone.  Surprising obervation?  Video podcasts are easier than audio podcasts – at least for me.  In this video, I read “Trees” by Harry Behn in my backyard.  At one point, a chicken can be heard clucking, but I thought it added some fun to the video so I kept it.  The chosen assignment for this is to walk outdoors to find inspiration to write a poem.  It seems fitting since Earth Day just passed.  I also describe a future Venn diagram assignment comparing “Trees” with the student poet’s own poem.  Hope you enjoy!

Tree Poem2

First Podcast “Connections: Past and Present”

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Connections Curie Einstein Hubble2

 

Possible assignments with this podcast:  1) Choose one piece of information in this podcast for further research, then create your own podcast to share via blogging 2) Create a Venn diagram to compare/contrast one connection from this piece 3) Write a descriptive narrative providing a potential future story from one of the three connections

 

Okay, guys, go easy on the comments when you listen.  This is my first attempt at creating/editing a podcast.  I’ve decided to publish it as a baseline to showcase improvement over time.

The 4-1-1

Here’s the concept for classroom use: by using a broad title, the podcast can be utilized across the curriculum.  For fun, I chose Curie, Einstein, and the Hubble Telescope, then I provided current information relevant to the three topics.  Alternatively, I could have focused on connections in history, literature, or math.  The podcast will be used to generate interest, encourage analysis, plus further use of technical skills.  That’s all I have at this point.  More experimentation is required to develop application ideas and create more professional podcasts.  I was shocked how southern I sound!  Audacity was used for recording, voice editing, and converting to an MP3 with a download.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts on podcasting, plus integration of this tool in the classroom.

What Have I learned

Start smaller!  Beginning with a 5 minute podcast when first learning – not the best idea.  For classroom use two connections are plenty.  Intonation matters.  My first trial was too bubbly so I toned it down for the second trial.  After editing this piece, it’s obvious it needs more flow, particularly in the beginning.

Editing is tedious, but easy.  There’s still a learning curve on this one, but the process was easier than expected.  But WOW did it take time to examine the audio, second by second.

Scripting is probably the best option for me.  I chose to improv on this one which showed.  At least until I establish familiarity, then scripting may produce fewer mistakes and dead space.  At least that’s the current theory.

Eureka

Newsflash for all educators!  For a professional, must-have podcast, you really want to visit the Scientific American podcast page.  I was hooked from the moment the April 6, 2012 segment began:  Lent End Means Hyena Free Lunch.  Looking at science objectives, this particular podcast could be connected to ecosystems, food web, adaptations, global impact, religion, culture, or geography.  I’m sure there are many more topics, but this is what spun out of my fingers as I type.  I envision using this podcast feed to inspire writing, research, discussions, critical thinking, connections with TEKS, and interest in new topics.   I don’t believe technology should be used without (relevance), but it certainly opens of the doors of imagination more widely.